BEREA, Ohio — The Browns are acting fast to address the loss of Nick Chubb following his season-ending knee injury sustained Monday night against the Steelers, and they could do so with a familiar face.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday afternoon that the organization, led by general manager Andrew Berry, was working to explore options to bring in another running back. While Chubb is, as Stefanski said, impossible to replace, bringing in a veteran back seems crucial. The Browns have slated Jerome Ford as the featured back at this time, but only in his second year, the room is lacking experience.
The work to explore options began quickly and one of the players the Browns are considering is former Brown Kareem Hunt, a league source confirmed. The team plans to have Hunt in for a visit to discuss the possibility of his return.
Hunt, 28, joined the Browns in 2019, and upon his debut for Cleveland quickly began providing a one-two backfield punch alongside Chubb.
Over his four years in Cleveland, Hunt played in 49 games, rushing for 1,874 yards on 442 carries with 16 touchdowns. He was used heavily as a third-down back and in the passing game, notching 132 receptions with 973 yards and seven touchdowns. He entered free agency at the end of the 2022 season and has yet to sign with a new team.
Hunt and Chubb developed a strong bond in his time in Cleveland, and the duo were very close on and off the field. Being able to step in for Chubb could be extra meaningful for Hunt—and with his recent history in Cleveland and knowledge of the offense, would be a viable option.
The Browns are exploring a few other options as well, but will likely want to have a solution quickly with a short week and a home game on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
