Browns unlikely to extend Kareem Hunt, Jerome Ford to see more snaps
After four seasons with the team, it seems like Kareem Hunt and the Cleveland Browns will finally be parting ways.
Hunt, 27, is coming off probably the worst season of his career. He had 123 rushes for 468 yards and only three touchdowns, although he usually is a surefire option out of the backfield. He only racked up 35 receptions for 210 yards and one touchdown.
This drastic drop in production is likely what’s preventing the Browns and other teams from pursuing the former third-round pick. Hunt himself requested a trade back during the trade deadline, and it seemed very likely that deal was gonna be made to get Kareem Hunt out of Cleveland.
But, for whatever reason, the Browns decided to hold onto him and now it’s looking like they won’t get anything in return. With Hunt likely to leave, the Browns are hoping that 2022 fifth-round pick Jerome Ford can fill the void as the backup running back.
Ford saw very limited work as a running back last season, tallying only eight carries for 12 yards. But he did impress as a kick returner racking up 723 yards on 30 returns to give him 24.1 yards per return — which very likely played a role in the Brown’s decision to move away from Hunt.
It’s clear that Hunt has lost a step or two over the years. Now, the Browns want to replace him with a much younger option. Hunt is only 27 but for a running back, that may as well be 35. I want to say that Hunt will find a home somewhere but that’s starting to look less likely as more teams make other moves to address running back needs.
Overall, I doubt this is a move that really moves the needle for the Browns. They need a big year from Deshaun Watson, who struggled mightily in his return from his suspension. But maybe Ford can be that spark out of the backfield they need and be a perfect complement for Nick Chubb.
But one thing I do know for sure after all this is that anybody with Chubb in a dynasty league just became a whole lot happier. The days of Kareem Hunt stealing his carries or touchdowns seem to be over. Let’s just hope for your sake that Ford doesn’t adopt that same role.
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