LOL - This got its own thread? I'm disappointed in the move. Beyond the obvious, it doesn't make sense from a roster standpoint. He's going to serve at least six games suspension and the Browns already have the best running back in the NFL (Chubb) and a top-tier back up (Johnson). So you sign a guy with massive baggage, facing suspension, and take on all the negativity that comes with it... for 10 games (at most) as the third-string running back?
Any details on the contract? This feels like a leverage move. Sign a guy that most likely won't play in 2019 (or at least the majority of it) to a relative small, multi-year deal then trade him off for an asset in 2020. You'd basically be paying for either a draft pick or for the chance to trade for another player.
Browns signed RB Kareem Hunt, formerly of the Chiefs, to a one-year contract. Hunt was always going to get a second chance, but it is stunning that the Browns have taken the plunge before his suspension was even announced. He will remain on the commissioner's exempt list until official punishment is handed down. Browns GM John Dorsey is one of the people responsible for drafting Hunt in Kansas City, so it is not surprising he is the one to make the move. It is surprising in that rookie second-rounder Nick Chubb was one of the best backs in the league last season, while the Browns made a big financial commitment to pass-catching back Duke Johnson last summer. Hunt will spend a good chunk of 2019 on the reserve/suspended list before heading to restricted free agency in the 2020 offseason.
That's about all I could find with the restricted FA being pretty important. Trading him off for a high pick after he proves himself? Or are they going Mack/Byner Version 2.0?
lol, thanks for the large print, Doug. I can leave my reading glasses on the shelf. I really have no idea why you make this move if it's for a one year deal, on a player that may not play, with media scrutiny and after watching Chubb play well once Hyde was out of the picture. Off first glance, this feels like a wild pitch off the umpire. EDIT: Maybe I do need to get some reading glasses cause I completely skimmed past the 'restricted' portion. I was too caught up chuckling to see the details.
Could be, but after having success as a featured back it's hard to imagine Kareem wanting to sign on with a team where he could possibly be the second fiddle or non-existent on a lot of Sundays.
The Dorsey quote doesn't have anything to do with where I'm coming from though, TD. And if you notice my edit, it puts this back online with my original thoughts on this.
My .02: Im not thrilled with the signing. I don't like or agree with how Hunt has handled his personal life and don't condone raising a hand to a woman. That being said, I do not look to entertainment venues for moral high ground. I don't boycott movies bc of an actor or director, and wont avoid a team for signing a player with a questionable past. For too long the team has sat in the cellar seeming to take the moral high ground and avoid these types of players. I am all for him getting a second chance. He was going to get one any way you slice it, just because he is super talented. That being said, I would take a backfield of an All-Pro, a Pro-Bowler, and a very good guy over a Pro-Bowler, Very good, and an unknown rookie. I think the argument that there we already have Chubb/Johnson so he wont be able to get touches is dishonest. He is better than Johnson. WAY better than Johnson. If he is suspended enough this year, it will not count as an accrued year on his contract and they will have him for slightly over a year, so he can know the offense for next season. There is obviously more to this agreement than any of us will ever know. Worst case, he is suspended, he balls out, we tag him, and trade him for more assets. Down side, he does not learn from his mistakes, he is out of the league, and we're back to "Browns being Browns" comments.
FWIW, Your edit comes off like a backhand... I'm not gonna pick up the same tired fight on this one. Still worn out from the Joe Mixon debates. I wound up being correct in that he was drafted early, but it wasn't worth being outnumbered like that.... Everyone should know where I stand on on this in regards to pro-sports. I'm a second chance guy on most of these instances, but I'm aware each case is different.. In this particular case, I have a friend that knows Kareem very well...I do not expect him to ever re-offend, and I'll leave it at that.
That's why I would speculate Johnson gets moved. If Hunt misses the six games (first offense penalty) and doesn't contest it, he'd be back when... right before the trade deadline? That's awfully convenient.
FWIW - I was chuckling about Doug posting in the block letters, not because the Browns signed Hunt. My edit came because I skimmed past the restricted part. I was getting ready to head out the door to pick up my kid so I didn't take the time to read it in better detail. Basically, that post was originally made from the viewpoint that the Browns only had him for one year and that he is most likely suspended for the majority of, if not all, 2019.
