Kareem Hunt has been openly seeking a new contract this offseason. The running back even held himself out of team drills at one point to send a message, but the Cleveland Browns do not seem willing to budge.
Hunt reportedly told the Browns before training camp that he wanted to be traded if the two sides could not reach an agreement on a new contract. The team basically ignored that. During a Wednesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com said the Browns have not changed their stance.
“I think he’s gonna be a Brown all year. They have no intention of trading him. They do not want to do that,” Cabot said. “They believe he can help this team win football games. He’s so good in the run and so good in the passing game. Especially with Deshaun (Watson) out the first 11 games of the season, they’re really gonna have to rely on that running game.”
Hunt signed a two-year extension in 2021 that is worth up to $13.25 million. There are incentives in the contract that are tied to him being on the active roster.
Though he is from the Cleveland area and has said he wants to remain with the Browns, Hunt likely wants to be paid like a starting running back. The Browns are currently paying Nick Chubb an average of $12 million per season, so it is unlikely that they want to tie up much more money at the position.
Hunt has been a very effective rusher with Cleveland and throughout his career. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry last season, though he appeared in just eight games because of injuries. Across five NFL seasons he has accumulated 3,557 yards and 28 touchdowns. He is 27, which is likely why he feels a sense of urgency to cash in with one more big contract.
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