DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum An Offseason Consideration- What To Do With Kareem Hunt?

Let me start off by saying Kareem Hunt is a talented player. You never like to see talent leave, especially if you don't get commensurate value in return. We've seen that happen before.

That said, I'll go on record as saying I'm perfectly ok with letting Hunt go if the price is right - namely in the form of an early round pick.

cfrs stated something recently that I believe to be true and agree with....that we only will have Hunt for one more season. This is by way of a couple of factors. 1. You have Nick Chubb and I think most would prefer to keep him as the bell cow back for the future. 2. There really is no point in locking up so much money in the running back position overall and we would be doing that with long-term contracts with both Chubb and Hunt. Also, there wouldn't be much of a point giving a big contract to what would be a secondary running back option. 3. Perhaps the most noteworthy as it pertains to this point, he is a restricted FA and will be most likely tendered this offseason but can't be next season.

I submit that I would like to see the Browns tender Hunt with a second round restricted FA tag this offseason and let the chips fall where they may. Those chips being whether a team is willing to offer him a long-term contract in exchange for handing over a second round pick.

Hunt's value is not what he did last season for us, but what he did as the lead back in Kansas City. If a team is willing to sign him for the long term, get a known commodity in the RB position, and we have the chance to get a younger player for a longer period of time at any position that early in the draft, I think that would be the wiser choice than holding on to Hunt for one more season and then letting him walk for nothing.

If no team wants to offer him a contract and fork over a pick.....then you keep him for one more season and ride it out. But at least the attempt to get something in return for him was had.

This is where I stand on the decision-making re: Hunt's offseason. I guess the only thing that would change this would be if the GM and coach liked Hunt over Chubb regarding offensive scheme, which I'm not sure that is the case. If so, move Chubb....because I don't think it makes sense to commit long-term to both players.

I think we’ll have another year to assess him in terms of long-term usage/signing him. But I think he’s someone we need to have on the team. Baker needs “outlet” type guys. If you have Hunt and if we can sign/draft a viable TE, then our O is much improved

I can't say that I disagree with your post...you made good points. Without seeing what KS will do with the Chubb/Hunt duo, I'll ride with whatever the team elects to do...

Last year the Vikings were in either 21 or 22 personnel more than every team in the league except for SF last year.

I believe Stefanski will use those packages at even higher rate this upcoming year and Hunt can even play that FB type role with even more versatility.

This is not the year to get rid of Hunt and create a hole in Stefanski's offense when it is not necessary (imo, of course).

https://www.sharpfootballstats.com/personnel-grouping-frequency.html

I get it. I'd only say, "outlet" type guys in the RB passing game are not that tough to find and can be had almost anywhere, IMO.

What I do like about Hunt is ability to be multi-faceted running, catching, and blocking. I do not think Chubb is there yet. Still, I think Chubb's ceiling running the ball is higher than Hunt's.

I will also add, put Stefansiki in the best position to succeed. Don't hamstring him because of what might happen in the future.

What if Chubb were to go down week 2 with ACL (I hope I didn't jinx him)?

You find a guy like Alexander Mattison taken in the mid-rounds that fits the scheme. Backup RBs are not hard to find and should not be expensive.

I can see both sides of it. From a strictly business point of view you make a lot of sense. This will be your only shot to get something that would be useful on a long term scale in the form of a high draft pick as he will be an RFA.

On the flip side we have a new HC who may see him as a very useful tool in his offense. I wouldn't want to see tools taken away from a new HC. With our track record, I would want to give that HC every possible way to succeed. If a new HC can start out on a winning note, it may do as much for our long term success as any draft pick we may acquire in making such a move. Winning breeds winning.

I agree with you in regards to how reasonably priced it is to get a back up RB that can catch out of the backfield. But if Chubb were to go down, that back up won't be Hunt. Hunt can step in well as a starting RB. That security blanket for Stefanski may be more valuable than we think.

There are a few factors that would help me make an informed opinion we do not have at our disposal at this time.

One of which we do have. Draft picks have the potential to be great but there are risks with any draft pick. So while draft picks are the best way to build a team, there are risks associated with giving up a proven commodity for that risk.

The second would be what round will he be tagged under? A first or second round tender would make me much more predisposed to endorse your strategy. In either of those rounds your odds of success are better at landing a productive player in the draft.

Third would be what will the actual contract offer to Hunt be? A look at the contract offer itself is something none of us know.

So for me, I like and understand the direction you're headed with this. Depending on the unknowns it may be something I would endorse. However, with no details in place at the present time, there is far too much information lacking for me to make such a determination.

Keep them both. The game is very simple. Run the ball and stop the run. Teams that do that the best win the most.

are they as good as hunt though? he has already proven what he can do and he's as good at it as anybody in the league. does he really cost that much to keep? he is a piece to the puzzle imo and there's other positions we need to fill more than a very productive guy on our O

Great thread... its something I've been wondering about quite a bit.

I don't know how the $$$ and "depth chart" were worked out but I seem to recall that the Panthers seemed to have a couple or few seasons there featuring Johnathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. And they were killin' it.

I think the first question is whether or not we commit to a scheme that features 2 backs as equals in terms of their roles. That's not as simple a decision as I know I am prone to feel it is because IF we were to commit to that concept in scheme, we run in to that problem of having 2 premium players deserving of premium contracts. Can that be cost be justified on the organizational level?

but, we're having a regime change.... that's the optimal time to create hole in your team where you don't need to; it's just how it works.

KH signed a 1 year contract for a little over 1 mil.
he's a RFA? this year.

Yes, he is a RFA.

And this is exactly the description of the circle of losing this team has been in for many many years now.

I'd like for the Browns to trade for Mike Boone, Minnesota's #3 to be in our RB group. I thought he did very well as the #2 while Cook as out. I'm a UC grad so I'm a tad biased in this regard.

Still, Stefanski knows him and his value, or lack thereof for what how he fits.

Have OBJ give him money too?

No! People should stop trying to reinvent the wheel.

lmao!

J/C

I like the idea of keeping Hunt and trying to sign him to an extension. He can block well, and he and Chubb both could line up as either FB or HB. Depending on Stefanski's offensive scheme, we may not need to add a traditional fullback.

I don't think Hunt can block effectively enough to be used as an effective fullback.

We'll tender Hunt with a second round or third round tender, if someone wants to sign him to an offer sheet and give up one of those picks I'd let him walk.

I don't think it would be a third rounder. Just my opinion. Second round, to me, seems like the sweet spot.

Hunt 's blocking ability has nothing to do with Stefanski's need for a FB, IMO.

The RB position is separate to that.

You just don't let a "Hometown" Talent like Hunt just walk out the door for any price

I do not understand it. Everytime we get a position with quality depth, people want to trade it away. We have two of the best running backs in the league, the League rushing leader 2 years ago and this past year's # 2 rusher. We need good depth, not trade it away. That is the very thing we have criticized our GMs for doing for years, it is part of the reason we continue to have losing teams. Build depth, quality depth, then next man up. This past year, we traded away our pass rushers behind Garret and Vernon, then lost Garret and Vernon for the season, and the defense sucked. We have 2 pro bowl quality RBs, so what is the first comments of the offseason ? WE SHOULD GET RID OF ONE OF THEM. smh

1. Hunt is a strike away from never being heard from again.
2. Running backs are easy to find.
3. Running backs are cheap.
4. Hunt is a free agent in one year.
5. For the most part, only one running back plays at a time.
6. We also have Nick Chubb.

Incorrect Browns fan thinking, present since 1999.

The answer is keep the team together. 2nd thought, Don't forget the eight games Hunt was unavailable.

What to do with Kareem Hunt? How about nothing! Maybe trying to fix everything every 5 days instead of building a football team that knows each other and leaving well enough alone for one offseason; is the constant that's led to this team losing every single year near enough.

Did you just suggest this name above is equal to Kareem Hunt?

J/c

One thing that Hunt is also good at: blocking. That was a pleasant surprise IMO

Sign them both long term. Lightning and Thunder. Pound the ball on the ground. That is how the Steelers and Ravens have dominated us for years. Nick Saban said any team that cannot run the football and stop the run are pretenders. It is a simple game in the end. If you have great QB's like Brady and Montana you can supplement the run game with short passes. If you do not have those players at QB you build the lines and pound the football.

I think there will be plenty of carries for both Chubb and Hunt in Stafansky's offense. I look for a drop off in Chubbs yards and an increase in Hunts.
That should help both backs to stay fresh. Both seem like TEAM players which we need a lot more of,

Yeah as just hope that need more team players. As well as vets trying to help out the youth.

I happen to agree with you, but there are people here who are probably about to tell you that what you said is old school thinking for an NFL that no longer exists. The Tennessee Titans say otherwise, but we'll see tomorrow.

San Fran also. Aaron Rodgers qualifies as one of those QB's that can use the short passing game like a run game.

We should wait at least 30 seconds to let the new coach get a staff.
Then let them decide?
Just thinking out loud....

And other than the chiefs and *maybe* the Texans, they would be wrong.

Just like at the teams from the divisional round on up.

Chiefs, titans ravens, Texans, packers, 9ers, Seahawks, Vikings.

Run game and defense. Even with all the rule changes to benefit offenses, the defenses still adjusted, and it all balances out in the playoffs, time and time again.

As dynamic as our WR duo can be, we have the opportunity to go into next season with two absolute studs at running back, a hopefully more hungrier 3rd year QB, and a HC who oversaw an offense that ranked 6th in both overall rushing and rushing yards per game.

If Stefanksi gets the same level of production out of baker that he did cousins, were in the playoffs. We have the chance to have the best running back duo in the league. We would be stupid to trade/ let hunt walk.

Sign Hunt.

Sign Hunt, Trade OBJ to get O-line help.

There is no reason not to re-sign Hunt to a 1st round tender offer. It's $4.7 million, but that's a deal for someone with his talent.

Having 2 All Pro caliber RBs is never a bad thing ..... especially when they both want to block for each other.

This.
1st round tender or don't bother.

With he & Chubb, we have an opportunity to do some pretty unique stuff.

I agree, sign him to a 1st round tender. Try to sign him to an extension. With Hunt you extend Chubb’s career maybe 2, 3 years.