There was a time when free agent Kareem Hunt was widely viewed as one of the most dangerous running backs in the game. Selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Toledo product took the world by storm. Earning the Week 1 starting job, Hunt finished his inaugural season with a league-best 1,327 rushing yards and an additional 455 receiving yards. He continued to dominate through 2018 before a video surfaced of him assaulting a woman in a hotel. Kansas City immediately cut bait with the running back, but he eventually found a home with the Cleveland Browns.
Serving as the second fiddle behind Nick Chubb, Hunt spent the past five seasons as an effective situational player. He had a chance to star with Chubb sidelined for the majority of 2023, but he failed to make the most of his opportunities. While his production metrics dropped, Pro Football Focus believed Kareem Hunt has something to offer as a free agent. According to their grades, Hunt finished the season with a 69.8 overall grade, the 36th-best mark out of 59 eligible players.
Chargers, Cowboys Best Fits For Free Agent Kareem Hunt
Now entering his age-29 season, free agent Kareem Hunt is no longer the superstar from the late 2010s. However, he can still be a fit for a team like the Los Angeles Chargers or the Dallas Cowboys. If the season started today, Jim Harbaugh’s squad would send out Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins to lead what will likely be one of the most run-heavy offenses in football. Edwards is a fine physical runner who lacks breakaway burst, while Dobbins is a walking injury risk. Hunt should handily win the RB2 job and see a decent chunk of work in the passing game.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, have the worst collection of running backs in the game. Ezekiel Elliott is back for one last go at the starting job, but he’s well past his prime. Still, a worn-down version of the former fourth-overall pick is better than Deuce Vaughn and Rico Dowdle. Kareem Hunt could provide some much-needed security as a free agent and would probably be the best running back on the roster.
Other Potential Fits
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rachaad White received an insane workload last year in large part because Tampa Bay only had one reliable running back. The former third-round pick is one of the better receiving backs in the game, but he lacks the size and vision to consistently run well between the tackles. Todd Bowles wants to run the ball, and Kareem Hunt can be a short-term free agent fix while fourth-round pick Bucky Irving gets up to speed.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have an elite running back in Derrick Henry and not much else. Keaton Mitchell probably won’t be ready for the start of the season, and Justice Hill is nothing more than an unremarkable journeyman. Baltimore is in it to win it, and they’ll need a reliable backup in case age suddenly catches up with Henry. Kareem Hunt won’t frighten too many opponents at this point in his career, but the free agent should take advantage of the open running lanes that come from sharing a backfield with Lamar Jackson.
Kansas City Chiefs
Perhaps it’s time for a free agent reunion between Kareem Hunt and the Kansas City Chiefs. The reigning Super Bowl champions could use another face in their backfield, and it doesn’t sound like there are any hard feelings between the two sides. After all, Hunt himself said he deserved to be cut after his hotel assault, and he’s kept himself out of trouble since then. Isiah Pacheco is firmly entrenched atop the depth chart, but Hunt should be able to beat out Clyde Edwards-Helaire for the backup job.
Main Photo; Troy Taormina – USA Today Sports
