Will the Browns Bring Back Kareem Hunt? 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook

The Cleveland Browns declined running back Kareem Hunt’s trade request before the 2022 NFL season started. After all, paying for a player who suited up for only eight games the previous year would have been difficult. However, he did average 4.9 yards per carry and had five touchdowns.

While he played 17 games last season, he had fewer touchdowns (three) and a lower yards-per-carry average (3.9). With his two-year, $10.83 million contract expired, the Browns could bring him back at a comparable rate. However, the team might find better options than him, and he is better off playing elsewhere.

The Browns have $7.1 million cap space left which is enough to sign their 2023 NFL Draft selections. Even if they have some wiggle room left after the rookie contracts, the remaining money will be better spent than bringing Hunt back.

Kareem Hunt Fantasy Football Outlook

If given the opportunity, his production could be replicated or surpassed by Jerome Ford, their fifth-round selection in last year’s draft. With Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson gone, the former Cincinnati standout should see his carries increase as Nick Chubb’s first backup. The Browns might even use one of their eight picks in the 2023 draft for a running back, but it shouldn’t be their priority.

Likewise, Hunt has shown signs of a decline in a position devalued over the years. His 27.5 yards per game average in 2022 is way below the 48.25 he had the year before. If the Browns are desperate to bring in another running back, several free agents are also available.

Case in point: Latavius Murray had 703 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games for the Denver Broncos last season. Leonard Fournette, Ezekiel Elliott, and Mark Ingram are still in the market. All three had comparable or better numbers than Hunt.

Also, Deshaun Watson’s first full season in Cleveland means that the Browns will shift their offensive priority to the passing game. No wonder they locked in David Njoku to an extension last year and traded for Elijah Moore this offseason.

Therefore, the Browns isn’t putting a premium on the running back position anymore. Chubb remains because he is one of the best at his position, especially after an All-Pro selection last year. Sadly, Hunt is the odd man out, and he will likely be in a different uniform in 2023. He might only get a contract if a backup running back gets hurt, but that’s being generous.

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