Kareem Hunt, Traffic Stop Puts New Browns Regime In Difficult Position
The Cleveland Browns have hired Andrew Berry to be the team's general manager and immediately Berry is presented with an issue the team will have to decide on in the form of Kareem Hunt's traffic stop and the video that TMZ has released. Fortunately for Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski, they have over a month before they have to make a decision on Hunt, but the timing of the video being released the same day the news breaks they are hiring Berry to be GM is inconvenient to say the least.
The video shows Hunt admit to the officer that pulled him over in Rocky River that he would not have passed a drug test. To this point, it's unclear if he had to take a drug test as a result of the incident when it was revealed that marijuana was found in the vehicle. Both in the reports that surfaced from the incident and in the video, Hunt says the marijuana belongs to his brother. There was also an open container neatly packed away in the backseat, which is a concern for a different reason.
Since coming to Cleveland after being signed by John Dorsey this past season, Hunt has been in alcohol treatment as well as anger management and some general counseling to try to help him overcome his issues. Obviously, this incident represents a setback in those efforts.
Add in the fact that the reason Dorsey could sign Hunt is because the Kansas City Chiefs released him after they say he lied to them about the incident in a Cleveland hotel, which saw security footage leaked by TMZ,showing Hunt assault a woman. All of this puts this new regime in a difficult position.
Hunt isn't under contract. He's scheduled to be a restricted free agent. The Browns can sign him, put a tender on him in hopes someone else does or they can simply relinquish the restricted tag at some point, making him an unrestricted free agent. Though in a situation like Hunt's, they might let him sit as a restricted before pulling the tag when it's less likely he could end up on a team within the division.
This new regime has to essentially decide how they plan to run this team. Character issues were only a problem when they prevented players from being on the field for games under Dorsey. It's likely to be far more important for Berry and Stefanski. How they handle Hunt may ultimately serve to set a tone for how they choose to deal with players in the future.
Hunt's situation is similar to Josh Gordon's in that the cost to keep him on the team is virtually nothing in terms of money and the talent is obvious. Obviously, Gordon's issues were with addiction and substance abuse while Hunt's include issues with violence against women as well as some really poor decision making.
Seemingly, letting him walk would send a strong message that this regime isn't going to deal with the nonsense the previous regime largely ignored. The push back on that is simply that Hunt wasn't a player they brought in, so they'd be effectively removing a player that was acquired under someone else's watch and use him as a convenient scapegoat.
If they opt to re-sign him, likely under an original round tender at this point, it makes it easy to criticize them on being soft on these type of issues right out of the gate. Those supporting this approach would say it's simple pragmatism to keep a super talented player for an extremely cheap contract and if he gets suspended, then move on from him. In addition, keeping him means he's not on an opposing sideline.
More could come out on Hunt's situation in the next month that might make it an easier decision and the NFL could still weigh in on it under their personal conduct policy. For Hunt, he goes back into limbo the same way he did after his release from the Chiefs. With no way to know what's going to happen with his future in professional football, he now has to focus on himself. He will likely get another chance at some point, whether it's with the Browns or elsewhere, but he once again undermined his ability to get a life changing amount of money.
For the Browns, the notion that they can't rely on Hunt isn't news. That was clear the day he was signed and Dorsey's press conference was an utter disaster in trying to defend it, both acknowledging they talked to virtually no one about his issues and then trying to pass the buck on the team's policy regarding character questions.
The question for the Browns and their new management is do they have any interest in dealing with players they can't count on, even if it means sacrificing some talent, to be able to have more accountable and reliable players. And ultimately, no matter how anyone tries to spin it differently, professional football is a business, and businesses are about the people they employ at all levels.
