NFL Rumors: Washington Commanders Eyeing Former Cleveland Browns Running Back

The Washington Commanders are doing their due diligence on a former rushing champion. According to CBS's Josina Anderson, the Commanders have made "preliminary inquiries" regarding former Cleveland Brown and Kansas City Chief Kareem Hunt.

I’m told the #Commanders have quietly been making some preliminary inquiries behind-the-scenes on free agent RB Kareem Hunt, per league source.

We’ll see if this leads to an opportunity for Hunt with Washington.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) June 16, 2023

Hunt is an unrestricted free agent, but he was one of the league's highest-compensated RB2s over the past four seasons with the Browns, earning slightly under $16 million for his 2847 yards from scrimmage and 23 total touchdowns over 49 appearances. He was generally the Browns' first choice to spell Nick Chubb, who has made four consecutive Pro Bowls despite never exceeding 334 touches in a season.

Hunt was once perhaps the league's most promising young back. He led the league in rushing as a rookie and totalled an impressive 2984 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns in his first 27 career appearances. A video showing Hunt pushing and kicking a woman derailed his career with the Chiefs, and he latched on with the Browns after his release.

Shockingly, Hunt is only 27 years old, but he appears to have met with a frosty market. Unfortunately for him, he has hit free agency at just about the worst time possible: he averaged career-worst marks in yards per carry (3.8) and yards per target (4.8) in 2022. Those aren't the types of numbers teams overlook character issues for.

The Commanders aren't likely to extend themselves if they choose to pursue Hunt; his days as a hot commodity are behind him. Unless he can somehow convince teams that the player who earned a Pro Bowl as a rookie is still lurking somewhere inside him, Hunt may have to settle for the league minimum and a chance to compete for a roster spot in training camp.