Kareem Hunt Signs Restricted Tender, How His Situation Is Impacted
Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt has signed his restricted tender, which puts him on a one-year, $3.259 million deal. The team placed a second round tender on the talented back, which made it unlikely anyone else was going to come after him with a deal, considering his off field issues as well as the fact the team would have to give up a second round pick. The Browns didn't see any need to offer him a longer term deal.
Unless the Browns decide to agree to an extension with Hunt or tag him after the season, which is is incredibly unlikely, he will officially be an unrestricted free agent after 2020. If Hunt can have a great season, which the Browns seem equipped to set him up to have, and he can stay out of the headlines for off field questions, he could stand to cash in with the free agent dollars he looked like he might get when his career started with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The fact that Hunt is locked into a deal also makes him potentially more attractive to teams that want to win now and are potentially cash-strapped this year in terms of the salary cap. $3.259 million is an extremely reasonable contract for a back of Hunt's talent, particularly in the passing game and if a team feels like they can add him as a piece to get them to the Super Bowl, he could be attractive. That could happen now or it might drag on into the 2020 season up to the trade deadline.
The Browns offense will have a similar setup as the Chiefs did when Hunt was drafted in the third round out of Toledo. Zone blocking up front, but they had a fullback largely function as Hunt's eyes, which allowed him to excel as a runner. His ability as a pass catcher made him really shine.
It's certainly possible the Browns are content to let Hunt thrive for a year and then walk in free agency, potentially bringing them in some compensatory value after the season. The impact of COVID-19 might impact how the Browns view their chances and change how they view a player like Hunt for a year versus what he might offer in a trade.
