Kareem Hunt burst onto the season in 2017 for the Kansas City Chiefs. The running back out of Toledo led the league in rushing with 1,327 yards. This season, Hunt played in 11 games and racked up 824 yards.
He was well on his way to a second straight 1,000-yard season until a controversial video surfaced in November. The video was of an incident that occurred in February between Hunt and a woman. After Hunt was accused of assault, he filed a cross-complaint that allowed him to remain on the Chiefs' roster.
When the video was released, Kansas City had no choice but to cut their star running back. They did so on November 30 and Hunt went unclaimed through December 3.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, there are multiple teams interested in Hunt and he could have a job “sooner rather than later.” Hunt was put on the commissioner's exempt list after his release and would need to be reinstated before he could sign. Hunt has been undergoing counseling for both alcohol and anger management. It is uncertain who he will end up with when this is all said and done, however there are many teams interested in adding a dynamic player to their backfield.
Let's take a look at five teams that should consider giving Hunt a second chance this offseason.
5. Dallas Cowboys
For all the people saying that they have Ezekiel Elliott and they do not need Hunt, let's think about this for a second. There are few teams more criticized than the Cowboys. There are also few teams that will do whatever it takes to win more than the Cowboys.
Labeled America's Team, the Cowboys have done anything but win since the 90's. Dallas has won three playoff games since their last Super Bowl in 1995. They won the NFC East this season with a 10-6 record. Dallas hosted a playoff game where they beat the Seahawks, then proceeded to lose to the Rams in the Divisional Round.
This is a team that has built a strong defense. The Cowboys have shown their confidence in Dak Prescott moving forward. Elliott is a play-maker. He has played 40 games in his career, racking up 101.2 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. Elliott has been a true workhorse for the Cowboys. He has carried the ball 21.7 times a game since entering the league.
What would the Cowboys' offense look like if they had a running back duo of Elliott and Hunt? They would be able to dominate time of possession and wear down opposing defenses while keeping their defense fresh.
Let's not forget the most important aspect — history. Dallas has a history of bringing in troubled players, such as Greg Hardy. They have made it clear that all they want to do is win and Hunt could help them achieve that goal.
4. Houston Texans
The Texans started the season with three straight losses, then proceeded to win nine in a row on their way to an AFC South title. They were thrashed in the Wild Card round 21-7 by the Colts. Deshaun Watson was their leading rusher in the game with 76 yards.
That has been an issue for the Texans all season. Watson led the Texans in rushing yards six times this season including their playoff game. In 13 out of 17 games, their leading rusher was held to under 100 yards.
Lamar Miller was brought to Houston in 2016, and has not been was they expected. In three seasons with the Texans, Miller has rushed for 1,000 yards once and scored 13 touchdowns. There is no other starting running back on the roster.
The Texans core is believed to be strong. They are interested in re-signing Tyrann Mathieu and Jadeveon Clowney to keep alongside J.J. Watt. They feature one of the best wide receivers in the league in DeAndre Hopkins, and they love the guy throwing the ball to him. The Texans skill positions could take a huge step forward if they add Hunt to their backfield.
3. Oakland Raiders
The Raiders are a disaster. Head coach Jon Gruden came to town and put out one of the worst offenses in the league on his way to a 4-12 record. Oakland scored 18.1 points per game which was 28th in the NFL. They ran for 101.8 yards per game which was 25th.
To take it one step further, can anyone name a running back on Oakland's roster not named Marshawn Lynch, who finished with 376 yards this season. The answers are Doug Martin and Jalen Richard.
There is no mystery as to why the Raiders need Hunt. Derek Carr has taken a huge step back since suffering his leg injury. There will be controversy around any team that signs Hunt. As for the Raiders, they should take a flier.
Hunt would bring stability to a franchise that looked like it was their first time on a football field.
2. Detroit Lions
Is there any quarterback more overrated and overpaid than Matthew Stafford? There might be some names floating around, however, Stafford remains near the top. Taking the focus off the quarterback position, their run game has been atrocious.
Kerryon Johnson finished his rookie campaign with 641 yards and three touchdowns. For the Lions, that's a great season. In a September game, Johnson did something that no Lions' runner has done since Thanksgiving Day in 2013 — rush for 100 yards in a game.
Johnson broke a 70-game streak in Detroit of not having a player rush for 100 yards. The Lions featured one of the most dominant receivers of all-time in Calvin Johnson, and could not win a playoff game because their rushing attack was putrid.
Detroit last won a playoff game in 1991, they are 0-8 since. A quick way to save Matt Patricia's job is to sign Hunt, develop a strong running game, and make the postseason.
1. Chicago Bears
The Bears were the first team to break the ice on signing Hunt. Chicago did not rule out the idea of signing Hunt, but admitted that they are not there yet. The sound of a frozen football hitting the upright must still be ringing in their head.
Jordan Howard has been a consistent contributor for Chicago, while Tarik Cohen has been more effective in the passing game. They drafted their quarterback of the future in Mitchell Trubisky and brought in Allen Robinson to be their top receiving threat. Adding a dynamic runner like Hunt could beef up the offense to go with one of the best defenses in football.
Head coach Matt Nagy has spent time with Hunt when he was the offensive coordinator in Kansas City during Hunt's rookie season. It is unknown whether the relationship between Nagy and Hunt is enough to persuade ownership to take a chance on the running back, but is is something to keep an eye on moving forward.
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