Kareem Hunt cleared to practice with the Browns; first game expected to come Week 10 vs. Bills

Cleveland gets an explosive piece back to its offense soon

By Josh Edwards

Oct 21, 2019 at 11:30 am ET • 1 min read

The NFL is permitting running back Kareem Hunt to rejoin the Cleveland Browns for practice Monday, according to the team.

Hunt was serving an eight-game suspension for off-field incidents that he committed while with the Kansas City Chiefs. He is not eligible to play until Week 10 at home against the Buffalo Bills. The running back underwent surgery on a sports hernia injury towards the end of the preseason. He has been recovering ever since.

Cleveland needs a boost after starting the season with an unexpected 2-4 record. The entire offense is culpable for the struggles this season. The Browns were on a bye this past week but they return against an undefeated New England Patriots team -- who play tonight on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets -- next Sunday. The game is a big one for Cleveland following the Ravens' improvement to 5-2.

Hunt will be the No. 2 running back behind Nick Chubb, who is the league's fourth leading rusher. He may take a marginal share of Chubb's carries with Dontrell Hilliard and D'Ernest Johnson also getting touches.

Hunt was released Nov. 30 after a video surfaced of him shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel in February of 2017. The incidents occurred on Feb. 10. The running back was neither arrested nor charged. Upon seeing the video, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell placed him on the Commissioner's Exempt List, which means that he does not count towards a team's roster limit.

The Browns announced his signing Feb. 11.

The 24 year old was a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he recorded 272 carries for 1,372 yards and eight touchdowns as well as 53 receptions for 455 yards and three touchdowns. The Toledo product was a strong NFL Rookie of the Year finalist alongside New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara. In his second season, he was suspended with five games remaining in the season. During the first 11 games, he had recorded 181 carries for 824 yards and seven touchdowns as well as 26 receptions for 378 yards and seven touchdowns.The Willoughby, Ohio native was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2017.

Hunt last played in a regular season game on Nov. 19, 2018 against the Los Angeles Rams.