Why Commanders Free Agent Target Kareem Hunt Remains Unsigned

It wasn’t that long ago that reports of preliminary discussions between the Washington Commanders and running back Kareem Hunt were being reported, but the back remains a free agent for the time being.

The Washington Commanders have two really solid running backs in Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson.

Still, and especially with second-year quarterback Sam Howell expected to take the reigns this season, any NFL team let alone the Commanders could never have too many talented running backs. 

Which is why nobody was truly surprised to find out early discussions had begun for veteran free agent running back Kareem Hunt to potentially reunite with Washington assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 

Discussing the futures of other free agent names like receiver DeAndre Hopkins and running back Dalvin Cook, 33rd Team pondered why players who have clear value to teams sometimes still don’t have a location to play in this close to the season getting underway.

“One of the big reasons (is) often times those guys have expectations,” says 33rd Team. “And they have expectations to make the money that they were making at their previous team, or to somehow get back to being whole after being released…and when you get to this time of year that type of money isn’t around.”

For Hunt, the situation wouldn’t be about recouping any money he may have lost because he wasn’t released. 

Instead, he wanted a certain amount of money to stay with the Cleveland Browns and when the team balked at the figure, he requested a trade. 

Of course, Cleveland didn’t trade him, and now he’s on the open market seeking the money he wanted there but doesn’t appear to be getting anyone willing to pay him that amount. 

Instead, Hunt now finds himself in the same post-draft and pre-training camp market that Cook is in, and is perhaps waiting to see what the younger back gets before settling on his own amount. 

Either way, Washington would be wise to stay in the running as long as it can to help secure another weapon for a young offense with a new coordinator.

Offensive lineman Andrew Wylie is already on ground to help the offensive line, and with receiver Marcus Kemp helping to get his group up to speed with Bieniemy’s language and expectations faster, putting a back like Hunt in the Commanders’ backfield could be another catalyst for rapid growth under the new coordinator.

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