5 potential players who could be surprisingly cut by the Cleveland Browns

Kareem Hunt

Kareem Hunt, like Baker Mayfield, fits three of the criteria for cut candidacy. The first is that he’s a second option on the team. As good as people want to believe Hunt still is (he isn’t that guy anymore), Nick Chubb is massively better. Nick Chubb is one of the three best running backs in franchise history. Hunt isn’t a top 20 running back in the NFL. Hunt isn’t a bad player, do not misconstrue what I’m saying. I’m saying Chubb cannot be easily replaced, Hunt can be.

The second mark against him is that the Browns have D’Ernest Johnson, Demetric Felton, and now Jerome Ford. Maybe none of those three are better than Hunt, but the Browns clearly are preparing for a future without Hunt, why wait for 2023 when you can find out if you have something in 2022.

Thirdly and most importantly, the Browns can cut him and save $6 million on roster upgrades. When you know that Johnson played extremely well in the stead of Chubb and Hunt and that the Browns have two young running backs they’re looking to see if they have something in, Hunt all of a sudden becomes a major candidate to be cut.

Especially if the team can’t find a trade.

Some people may not realize why the Browns would cut him instead of trading him, and it really just comes down to how the roster shakes out. Some players may prove to be too important to cut, and the timing may not allow the Browns to trade Hunt before specific deadlines. They may also “reward” him for his service and allow him to pick his next home.