Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Browns sign Kareem Hunt

The other shoe finally dropped in the saga of running back Kareem Hunt, who despite a fabulous year and three-quarters running the football with the Kansas City Chiefs was released after the discovery of an abuse tape against a female in a hotel in early 2018.

It's the Cleveland Browns that grabbed that shoe and signed Hunt to a one year contract for a flat one million dollars on the word of general manager John Dorsey, who drafted Hunt in the third round of the final draft that Dorsey ran for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Quick sidebar, John Dorsey's final draft with the Chiefs nabbed Patrick Mahomes and Kareem Hunt and it was DORSEY that was relieved of his duties in order to keep Andy Reid, who has to be part of the Mount Rushmore of coaches that you never want on the sidelines if you need to win a big game?
BTW- That Rushmore includes Reid, Marty Schottenheimer, Dennis Green and your choice of these in no particular order- Dan Reeves, Don Coryell, Chuck Knox or Marv Levy.
I'd love to include the vastly overrated Bill Cowher to this for his Reid-like run of four home losses in AFC Championship games, that was thisclose to a Hail Mary by the Colts to making it five, but Cowher did win one Super Bowl, which saved him from this list.


Before we discuss the football side of this, I want to make sure any of you know where I stand on Hunt's assault on a lady friend in a hotel last year- I think firm penalties should be levied and there should be steps taken to be able to play in the league, steps that are even harsher than how the league deals with other issues that a player can be suspended for committing.
I'm not against second chances, but I'm not convinced Hunt has spent enough time away from the field yet to state that he has paid his dues yet.
I'm not even sure the Browns will even see Kareem Hunt on the field in 2019.
Roger Goodell will certainly suspend Hunt for a period of time that should be a minimum of six games and could be a season or more.
One never knows to expect from Goodell, but there will be some type of penalty and it won't be light.

However, I am tired of these tremendous on the field and troubled off the field players being available and then dazzling in their rehabilitation process for the Patriots, Ravens, Steelers etc.
I don't like how that makes me feel as a fan, but has been shown by fans of those teams, they do not hide their championships away after employing such types.

Moving to Kareem Hunt on the field, assuming he gets to play sometime, suddenly between Hunt and Nick Chubb with Duke Johnson, the Browns could have the best three group of running backs in the league.
Hunt led the leagues in rushing as a rookie with 1,327 yards, rushed for another 827 in eleven games before his Chiefs release and a player like this in his prime would never be available for free without baggage.
Hunt can run, catch and can be a three-down back.
The Browns combining him with Chubb in a two-back look could scare defensive coordinators a lot, but the only downside is neither back might get the type of carries to wear down defenses otherwise.
If the Browns and Hunt would receive a favorable result from the league, the Browns could talk about moving Duke Johnson.
I'm not sure that happens before the 2019 draft, but it could before the 2020 draft.
If Hunt would be given a long term suspension after Johnson would be traded, the Browns could go from deep to thin, which is why I don't see Johnson being traded yet, if at all.
Other than that, I can't see a thing wrong with this signing as far as on the field. but I'm not getting excited yet- I'll believe he plays when I see it.

It may not have been a chance that the Browns had to take, but it might be a risk worth taking.



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