Kareem Hunt was cited yesterday for speeding, and marijuana was found in his car. He apparently avoided any drug charges, with his story being that the illegal substance belonged to his brother. If I had the earning potential of an NFL running back I'd say that too, and if I here his brother I'd back him up.
Regardless, it's the kind of brush with the law that Hunt needs to avoid, having already been suspended (and released) for off-field conduct. Hunt is headed for restricted free agency, and some are getting that status wrong, thinking he'll be free to sign anywhere. He's only been in the league for three years, so he's restricted -- the Browns, assuming they tender him, will be able to match any offer if they so choose.
With Nick Chubb, they're not going to match an offer that pays Hunt like a starter. But if they tender him at a high enough level, they'll certainly reduce the offers that come in. Nobody is going to want to surrender a first-round draft pick for him. Hunt was a third-round pick, so as long as they tender him at the original pick level, a team signing him would need to give up a good pick to get him.
Cleveland of course doesn't have a GM these days, so no telling what their decision will be. But Hunt worked out pretty well, particularly as a passing downs back, for them last season. In his eight games, he caught 5.5 balls per contest. Among running backs with at least 20 targets, only seven had more catches per game than Hunt.
| RUNNING BACK RECEIVING, 2019 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Tgt | No | Yds | No/G |
| McCaffrey, Car. | 16 | 141 | 116 | 1005 | 8.8 |
| Kamara, N.O. | 14 | 97 | 81 | 533 | 6.9 |
| Ekeler, LAC | 16 | 108 | 92 | 993 | 6.8 |
| Fournette, Jac. | 15 | 100 | 76 | 522 | 6.7 |
| Cohen, Chi. | 16 | 104 | 79 | 456 | 6.5 |
| White, N.E. | 15 | 95 | 72 | 645 | 6.3 |
| Barkley, NYG | 13 | 73 | 52 | 438 | 5.6 |
| Hunt, Clev. | 8 | 44 | 37 | 285 | 5.5 |
| Thompson, Wash. | 11 | 58 | 42 | 378 | 5.3 |
| Bell, NYJ | 15 | 78 | 66 | 461 | 5.2 |
| Freeman, Atl. | 14 | 70 | 59 | 410 | 5.0 |
| Drake, Mia.-Ariz. | 14 | 68 | 50 | 345 | 4.9 |
| Gordon, LAC | 12 | 55 | 42 | 296 | 4.6 |
| Cook, Minn. | 14 | 63 | 53 | 519 | 4.5 |
| Elliott, Dall. | 16 | 71 | 54 | 420 | 4.4 |
| Jones, G.B. | 16 | 68 | 49 | 474 | 4.3 |
| Samuels, Pitt. | 14 | 57 | 47 | 305 | 4.1 |
| Sanders, Phil. | 16 | 63 | 50 | 509 | 3.9 |
| Johnson, Hou. | 16 | 62 | 44 | 410 | 3.9 |
| Conner, Pitt. | 10 | 38 | 34 | 251 | 3.8 |
| Hines, Ind. | 16 | 58 | 44 | 320 | 3.6 |
| Johnson, Ariz. | 13 | 47 | 36 | 370 | 3.6 |
| Singletary, Buff. | 12 | 41 | 29 | 194 | 3.4 |
| Williams, K.C. | 11 | 37 | 30 | 213 | 3.4 |
| Gurley, LAR | 15 | 49 | 31 | 207 | 3.3 |
| Williams, G.B. | 14 | 45 | 39 | 253 | 3.2 |
| Carson, Sea. | 15 | 47 | 37 | 266 | 3.1 |
| Freeman, Den. | 16 | 50 | 43 | 256 | 3.1 |
| Chubb, Clev. | 16 | 49 | 36 | 278 | 3.1 |
| Lindsay, Den. | 16 | 48 | 35 | 196 | 3.0 |
| Walton, Mia. | 7 | 21 | 15 | 89 | 3.0 |
| Ogunbowale, T.B. | 16 | 47 | 35 | 286 | 2.9 |
| Burkhead, N.E. | 13 | 38 | 27 | 279 | 2.9 |
| Mixon, Cin. | 16 | 45 | 35 | 287 | 2.8 |
| Murray, N.O. | 16 | 43 | 34 | 235 | 2.7 |
| Richard, Oak. | 16 | 43 | 36 | 323 | 2.7 |
| Bernard, Cin. | 16 | 43 | 30 | 234 | 2.7 |
| McKissic, Det. | 16 | 42 | 34 | 233 | 2.6 |
| McCoy, K.C. | 13 | 34 | 28 | 181 | 2.6 |
| Washington, Oak. | 16 | 41 | 36 | 292 | 2.6 |
| Jones, T.B. | 16 | 40 | 31 | 309 | 2.5 |
| Scott, Phil. | 11 | 26 | 24 | 204 | 2.4 |
| Montgomery, Chi. | 16 | 35 | 25 | 185 | 2.2 |
| Coleman, S.F. | 14 | 30 | 21 | 180 | 2.1 |
| Jacobs, Oak. | 13 | 27 | 20 | 166 | 2.1 |
| Lewis, Tenn. | 16 | 32 | 25 | 164 | 2.0 |
| Laird, Mia. | 15 | 30 | 23 | 204 | 2.0 |
| Ballage, Mia. | 12 | 24 | 14 | 63 | 2.0 |
| Jusczyk, S.F. | 12 | 24 | 20 | 239 | 2.0 |
| Johnson, Det. | 16 | 31 | 24 | 109 | 1.9 |
| Smith, Atl. | 15 | 29 | 26 | 247 | 1.9 |
| Breida, S.F. | 13 | 22 | 19 | 120 | 1.7 |
| Ham, Minn. | 16 | 26 | 17 | 149 | 1.6 |
| Edmonds, Ariz. | 13 | 21 | 12 | 105 | 1.6 |
| Henry, Tenn. | 15 | 24 | 18 | 206 | 1.6 |
| Peterson, Wash. | 15 | 23 | 17 | 142 | 1.5 |
| Barber, T.B. | 16 | 24 | 16 | 115 | 1.5 |
| Armstead, Jac. | 16 | 24 | 14 | 144 | 1.5 |
| Mostert, S.F. | 16 | 22 | 14 | 180 | 1.4 |
| Pollard, Dall. | 15 | 20 | 15 | 107 | 1.3 |
| Abdullah, Minn. | 16 | 21 | 15 | 88 | 1.3 |
| Michel, N.E. | 16 | 20 | 12 | 94 | 1.3 |
I don't think Hunt will be tendered at a first-round level, but it's possible -- teams like to have two good running backs. Nobody is likely to give up a first-round pick for him. But anyone who wants to bring him in as a starter next season will likely have to surrender not only a sizable contract but a decent pick to Cleveland. That will reduce his market, and yesterday's incident won't help.
Dynasty-wise, those holding onto Hunt can't be 100 percent certain he'll be starting for another team in 2020. It's possible he'll be back in Cleveland as the No. 2, with limited fantasy appeal.
--Andy Richardson