Browns sign Kareem Hunt

  The Cleveland Browns had been rumored to be considering trades for running backs to try to replace Nick Chubb after his catastrophic injury on Monday night.

And while no matter who would be added to the roster, very few could be expected to approach the production that Nick Chubb provided other than maybe holdout Indianapolis runner Jonathan Taylor, and Taylor could be far too expensive for a team that has spent three years on first-round draft picks on DeShaun Watson.

The Los Angeles Rams have reportedly shopped Cam Akers around the league but Akers's injury history and spotty production would have been a risk for more than a late-round pick.

Akers would be traded with a 2025 seventh-rounder to Minnesota for a 2025 sixth-round later in the day.

But the back that made the most sense was living in the area, knew the offensive system, and would cost the Browns money instead of draft picks, so Cleveland signed veteran Kareem Hunt to a contract for the remainder of the season for what could be up to four million.

Hunt rushed for 468 yards and caught thirty-five passes last season as the primary support for Nick Chubb and he'll be backing up Jerome Ford and possibly Pierre Strong on the backfield depth chart.

Hunt was never the back for the Browns that he had been in Kansas City but he was a solid performer and on a team with Nick Chubb, Hunt was never going to be given the carries that he did as a Chief to match those statistics.

I would say this about the signing, if the Browns and their fans are realistic about their expectations for Kareem Hunt, this could help the team in their time of need.

At 28, Hunt still runs with power and breaks tackles well with the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, so Hunt isn't washed up by any means but he doesn't have the speed that he once did and he has never been a runner that has been known for his speed.

Kareem Hunt is a signing that builds the depth behind Jerome Ford and may be able to allow Ford to take the occasional breather on the sidelines.

However, should Hunt be placed in the lineup for an extended period of time in the event of a Ford injury, I'm not sure how long Hunt would hold up or how effective he might be as a full-time back.

Hunt may not be a high-reward signing but under the circumstances, he is at least low-risk and a popular choice with the fan base.

Hopefully, the Browns will have the luxury of parceling out his snaps and will not have to hope that Hunt can carry the load as an every-down player.

Browns ground Texans 10-7

   Through rain, snow, sleet, and hail.

That was once the motto of the United States Postal Service, but it should be the motto of the ground game of the Cleveland Browns, who used one hundred games from Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to cut through the wind and defeat the Houston Texans 10-7 in Cleveland.

Chubb finished with 126 yards and the only Browns touchdown and Hunt added 104 to lead an otherwise anemic Cleveland offense in the win in the middle of three Browns' home games.

Cleveland improved to 6-3 with the victory and will host the Eagles in Cleveland next Sunday.

Brownie Bits

1)  The talk around the Browns fan base was the long run at the end of the game by Nick Chubb in which he could have easily scored, but instead stepped out of bounds to essentially give Houston no chance of a comeback.

A touchdown likely would have left Houston with only a crazy prayer of winning, but the step out did allow the Browns to kneel twice to end the game.

2) Chubb's decision allowed those kneeldowns rather than live plays and one never knows when a key injury can occur.

Smart, especially on a team that isn't known for its depth.

3) The Browns haven't played a game that saw two of their backs finish with over 100 yards in a game since 1966 when Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green accomplished the feat.

4) Nick Chubb finished with more yards, the only touchdown, and the backbreaking run at the end of the game, but Kareem Hunt was just as effective.

Chubb may be the better back overall, but Hunt's numbers would be very similar if used in the same manner.

5) Ok, for the second home game in a row the wind was beyond awful and made the passing game very risky at best.

Still, DeShaun Watson managed to complete twenty of thirty and he's used to playing in a dome.

Baker Mayfield completed twelve of twenty, which is nothing special, but he did manage to avoid the big mistake and the Browns did win so I cannot complain too much, but...

6) One of the reasons that I didn't want Baker Mayfield in the 2018 draft was a concern about having the type of arm strength that you need to power the ball through the cold weather that comes with playing in the AFC North, let alone in Cleveland in a stadium that faces one of the Great Lakes.

I've seen nothing in these two games held in punishing winds to change any of those thoughts.

7) Then there was Myles Garrett, who isn't known for his run defense, stoning Watson on a 4th down run play inside the Browns five late in the second quarter.

That play alone might have won the game in a three point game, but Garrett also finished with two other tackles for losses and a half sack as the dominant player on the field.

8) The wind kept the Texans from trying two field goals during the game and blew another aside, but the Browns were able to keep things in line with the wind on their end.

Cody Parkey knocked in one field goal on the strong wind end (the Dawg Pound) and that was enough to win.

9) Romeo Crennel, having coached in Cleveland, should have known about the wind in Cleveland Stadium.

So why on Earth did Crennel choose to have the wind in his kicker's face in the fourth quarter?

10) The game could have been a shutout, but in the fourth quarter DeShaun Watson appeared to be sacked, hung into the pocket and tossed the ball up for a key completion.

The drive continued and ended with the only Houston touchdown.

11) The now 6-3 Browns have two more must win games against weak sisters Philadelphia and Jacksonville.

Win those two games and the playoffs are in sight, but lose one of those and look out.

Win the games that you should and hope for the best... 

Nick Chubb to IR, Looking at the schedule

 The Cleveland Browns looked to be as equipped as any team in the National Football League to survive an injury to a star running back.

The Browns and their fans are about to find out as Nick Chubb was placed on injured reserve, but that's the downside as Chubb's MCL was sprained, not torn and as a result Nick Chubb's season is not over as he is expected to miss six weeks, but not the remainder of the year.

Chubb suffered a severe knee injury during his time at Georgia that ended his 2015 season and even though Chubb bounced back to rush for over 1,000 yards in the following two seasons, he shared rushing duties with Sony Michel and it was the knee injury that caused Chubb to fall to the second round in the 2018 draft.

The unusual feature of the 2020 season is the increased injured reserve and practice squad, so the Browns would have had to have made a decision on Nick Chubb's status for the season or carried him on the roster as an inactive player.

Chubb will be eligible to return in three weeks, although he will likely be placed again with the six-week expectation before a potential return for the stretch drive.

The Browns will turn to Kareem Hunt as their workhorse and no team has a better second back than a player that has led the league in rushing and is in his prime at twenty-five.

The immediate problem for the Browns is that Hunt is dealing with a groin injury.

Hunt rushed for two touchdowns against Dallas with the injury, so it wasn't a problem against the Cowboys, but the Browns did manage to keep his carries down with eleven so it is an issue,

Can former Orlando Apollo D'Ernest Johnson repeat his performance against Dallas with 95 yards rushing?

If Hunt is able to run as he has in the past, Johnson won't have to be depended on as often, but the Browns will likely have to add a running back to the practice squad after the promotion of Dontrell Hilliard to the main squad.

The loss of Nick Chubb is a huge loss, but the Browns can handle it.

The question is can they handle the newfound prosperity that comes with 3-1?

I'm excited and hopeful, if they can make it to 4-2 or heaven forbid 5-1, I'll be a believer.

Why then?

Well, they will have gotten past two more games against good teams, and let us look at the schedule after week six.

At Cincinnati

Las Vegas

Bye

Houston

Philadelphia 

At Jacksonville

At Tennessee

Baltimore

At NY Giants

At NY Jets

Pittsburgh

Even if the Browns fall to 3-3, Cleveland should be favored in their next five games.

Run the table, that's 8-3.

Be conservative at say they win four of five (any less would be disappointing), that's 7-4.

At Tennessee will be tough and the home games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh will be as well, but

you hope you win both games in New York.

Your worst-case scenario is 9-7.

That's if the Browns are capable of doing that.

Two of their three wins are against two of the worst defenses in the league and the other win is against a

questionable offense, so I'm still a little uneasy on saying this is a playoff team yet.

BUT the avenue is there to become one...

Browns earn their stripes! Beat Bengals 35-30

The Cleveland Browns moved from opposing a team that finished 14-2 in 2019 to playing against one that finished 2-14 last season and the difference in result and performance was striking as the Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 35-30 Thursday night in Cleveland.

Baker Mayfield threw for 219 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while the running game paced the offense with Nick Chubb finishing with 124 yards and two touchdowns along with Kareem Hunt ran for 86 yards along with one score.

The now 1-1 Browns will host the Washington Red and Yellows next Sunday in Cleveland.

                                                                Brownie Bits

1:The Browns may have won this one on the ground, but the early strike was through the air as Baker Mayfield threw a beautiful pass to Odell Beckham for a 43-yard touchdown.

Mayfield's accuracy has been in question over the last year, but that was a well-thrown pass that was on the money.

2: The ground game is going to have to carry this team.

That's not a surprise to many, but when two backs as talented as Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are on your team, hammering the opponent in the running game takes the pressure off Baker Mayfield, gives his play-action far more presence, and gives the Browns an identity as a physical team that they have lacked.

Chubb set the table and late in the game on the game-clinching drive Kareem Hunt cleared the plates.

The Bengals couldn't stop these two and if the Browns want to reach respectability, they should ride these two horses.

3) The offensive line was missing Jack Conklin, who was active with injuries to his ankle and finger but the Browns started Chris Hubbard in the hopes that Conklin would not be needed.

Hubbard played well, Conklin was able to sit out and the hope is with ten days before the game with Washington that Conklin will be able to return to the lineup.

Jedrick Wills was again fine at left tackle, Wyatt Teller is much improved at right guard, and the usual standouts are playing to form in Joel Bitonio and J.C. Tretter.

Very encouraged after two games.

4)  Baker Mayfield played good, not great. Good.

Mayfield was given more plays that called for him to roll to his right, which seems to be the only way that Mayfield can play like an NFL quarterback and he was successful.

The key to Mayfield's future may come down to how he plays when teams force him to stay in the pocket or roll to his left.

When he's been forced to do that to date, the struggles begin to happen.

5) The defense is bad.

I mean really bad.

Other than the defensive line, this defense is porous and the Browns are going to have to outscore teams to win and few teams are similar to the Bengals to allow the running game to beat them in shootouts.

6) Olivier Vernon missed the game at one defensive end and his replacement went down as well as Adrian Clayborn left the game due to injury.

Cleveland finished the game with only three defensive ends, Myles Garrett, Porter Gustin, and recent arrival Joe Jackson.

I don't have any news on Clayborn's injury, but a loss of Clayborn from the pass-rushing rotation would really hurt the Browns.

Clayborn had a sack of Joe Burrow before leaving the game.

7) Myles Garrett made the play that saved the day for the Browns when his strip of Joe Burrow inside the Bengals five and resulting fumble recovery by Joe Jackson, not only set up a Nick Chubb touchdowns run, it evened the possession before when the Browns failed to score on four shots from the Bengals one.

8) Sheldon Richardson continues to be tremendous on the inside and is playing the best football of his career.

I counted three times that Richardson lost his helmet, but continued to charge after the football.

It's only two games, but Richardson is playing at a Pro Bowl level.

9) Porter Gustin may have to play a larger role depending on the time that Olivier Vernon and Adrian Clayborn could miss.

Gustin sacked Joe Burrow once, but grabbed Burrow by the facemask and was deservedly flagged.

Gustin might be the biggest surprise on this team since his signing during the 2019 season.

10) The bad news for Baker Mayfield?

The horrendous interception in the red zone that should have never been thrown makes me wince and he overthrew a wide-open Austin Hooper for which would have been a score.

Color me open to any opinion on the future of Mayfield.

11) I know that injuries have contributed to Andrew Sendejo and Taviarre Thomas being on the field so much in the secondary, but man are they a hindrance!

Sendejo is just too damn slow to be effective and while Thomas is an excellent player in special teams it is clear that he just cannot stay with receivers.

Sendejo's time will decrease as Ronnie Harrison becomes more comfortable in the defense, but I'm not sure where the help in getting Thomas off the field until Greedy Williams and Kevin Johnson are able to return from their injuries.

Until then-Yikes!

12) How about those orange pants?

In the name of Brian Sipe- I love them!

These are THE home uniform that the Browns need to use and I'll accept no substitutes!!!

13) Now it's onto Washington.

A team that looks a little better than Cincinnati with a young quarterback in Dwayne Haskins and a pass rusher with the potential to be the best in the game in Chase Young.

This is a winnable game, but it's also one that could be very competitive or even a defeat.

The schedule toughens after the visit from Washington with a trip to Dallas, a home game against the Colts and a visit to Pittsburgh.

The Browns will likely be underdogs in all of those games, so the Washington game might be the difference between 1-5, 2-4, and assuming the Browns can win one of those three games following Washington 3-3.

It'll also be another matchup of young quarterbacks for the third game in a row after Baker Mayfield opposed Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, he'll face Dwayne Haskins.

See you then.

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.