Running Back Kareem Hunt Mulls Over Offers Waiting For The ‘Right’ Deal

Veteran running back Kareem Hunt is generating significant interest from NFL teams as the 2023 season gets underway, but he continues to “wait for the right offer.”

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted that Hunt has received contract offers from four NFL teams. The 2017 Pro Football Writers Association Offensive Rookie of The Year spent the past four seasons with the Cleveland Browns after starting his career with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hunt’s best season came in 2020, his first season with the Browns, where he had 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. Last season, Hunt played backup to starting running back Nick Chubb and finished with 468 yards, three touchdowns, and 35 catches.

The University of Toledo product burst onto the NFL scene in 2017 with the Chiefs, earning his only Pro Bowl appearance. In 2018, Hunt was on pace for another Pro Bowl season with 1,202 total yards and 14 touchdowns in just 11 games, but a video surfaced of Hunt assaulting a woman in a Cleveland hotel, which led to the Chiefs releasing him.

Running backs, in general have had a tough time getting paid this off-season. Free agent RBs Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliot were forced to take offers for less money than they wanted. Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard wasn’t offered a long-term contract and instead signed the one-year fully guaranteed franchise contract worth $10.9 million.

New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley held out of the team’s off-season training activities and a portion of training camp looking for a long-term deal before signing a 1-year $11 million contract.

The lack of long-term deals led RBs across the league to meet via Zoom to discuss the depressed market for players in their position. The meeting was organized by Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler, who has been outspoken about NFL running backs not being paid their true worth.