Kareem Hunt Rumors: Broncos 'A Team to Watch' for FA; Browns Return Not Off the Table

Former Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt remains one of the top players available at the position on the free-agent market, and it appears one AFC West franchise may be interested in him.

The Denver Broncos are "a team to watch" in the Hunt sweepstakes, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Saturday on SportsCenter. However, a return to the Browns "isn't totally off the table," Fowler added.

The Broncos could use another running back to start the 2023 season as Javonte Williams could miss some time while recovering from a knee injury.

Williams appeared in just four games last season before tearing the ACL, LCL and posterolateral corner in his right knee during an Oct. 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Broncos general manager George Paton confirmed to reporters in April that Williams would return in 2023. However, he said there's no specific timeline for the veteran to get back on the field.

"Javonte is doing really well in rehab. Feel good he will be back this season, just not sure when," Paton said. "With free agency we addressed enough needs we don't need to reach."

Aside from Williams, the only other running backs Denver has on the roster are Samaje Perine, Tony Jones Jr., Damarea Crockett, Tyler Badie, Tyreik McAllister, Jaleel McLaughlin and Emmanuel Wilson, none of whom have handled a regular NFL starting role.

Hunt would be a solid addition to the Denver running back room ahead of the 2023 season and would bring some much-needed experience alongside Perine and Williams.

The 27-year-old spent the last four seasons with the Browns after beginning his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, who selected him in the third round of the 2017 draft out of Toledo.

The Chiefs released him after a video showed Hunt kicking a woman in a hotel. He was never charged with a crime, and the Browns signed him ahead of the 2019 season.

In 49 games across four seasons in Cleveland, Hunt rushed for 1,874 yards and 16 touchdowns, in addition to catching 132 passes for 973 yards and seven scores. The numbers aren't entirely impressive, though he had been the franchise's backup running back to Nick Chubb.

If the Browns were to re-sign Hunt this summer, he would continue to be the team's backup behind Chubb. Jerome Ford, Demetric Felton Jr., John Kelly Jr., Nate McCrary and Hassan Hall are the other running backs on the roster.