Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb suffered a season-ending injury in Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and will undergo surgery. The Browns lost to the Steelers by a final score of 26-22.
Free agent running back Kareem Hunt could reportedly rejoin the Browns in the wake of Chubb’s injury, and the team is also allegedly interested in Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers.
“With Nick Chubb set to undergo season-ending knee surgery soon, the Rams’ Cam Akers and former Browns running back Kareem Hunt are among the possible replacements the Browns are exploring, league sources say,” Mary Kay Cabot wrote.
News of Hunt visiting the Browns broke on Tuesday.
Sources: Former Pro Bowl RB Kareem Hunt is currently visiting the #Browns.
A potential return to Cleveland following Nick Chubb’s devastating knee injury Monday night. pic.twitter.com/8j7JXgWtZz
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 19, 2023
He was selected with the No. 86 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft after four seasons playing college football at the University of Toledo. He ran for 860-plus yards and six-plus touchdowns in each of his four seasons as a member of the Rockets.
Hunt, 28, has played for two teams — the Browns and Kansas City Chiefs — across his six seasons in the NFL. He totaled 468 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in 17 appearances with the Browns during the 2022 regular season (zero starts).
The 5-foot-11 running back’s best season in the NFL came during his rookie season, the 2017 season, when he was a member of the Chiefs. Hunt ran for a league-best 1,327 yards to go along with eight touchdowns in 16 games played with the team.
Those numbers were good enough for Hunt to earn a Pro Bowl nod as well as finish second in the NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Only New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara ended up with more votes.
Meanwhile, Akers was selected with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft following a three-season stint at Florida State University. He ran for 700-plus yards and six-plus touchdowns in each of his three seasons with the Seminoles.
The 5-foot-10 running back has played four seasons in the NFL, all as a member of the Rams franchise. He racked up 786 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns across 15 games with Los Angeles during the 2022 regular season (nine starts).
Hunt and Akers make sense as targets for the Browns at the running back position. After all, both are fresh off productive seasons in 2022 and under 30 years old.
