Cleveland Browns most improved position groups
By Randy Gurzi
No. 2 Running Back
This isn’t the first spot fans think of when they are trying to decide where Cleveland needs to improve in 2019, but they still added some incredible talent to their running back corps. Ranked 14th in rushing yards in the league last season, the Browns were headlined by Nick Chubb who had 996 yards rushing on the year while averaging 5.2 yards per attempt.
Second on the team in yards was Duke Johnson, who averaged 5.0 yards per rush and ended with 201 yards on the ground. Both players return this season which should be enough to keep the ground game rolling. However, the Browns also added a big name to the mix as they added the 2017 NFL rushing leader in free agency — although that does come with a caveat.
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Kareem Hunt was let go by the Kansas City Chiefs last year following the release of a video which showed him shoving and kicking a female in an altercation inside a Cleveland hotel. Hunt will be suspended for the first eight games due to that video, and he also caused the team to take a hit as there was understandable angst over his signing.
While any anger about Hunt’s signing is justified, he does make the running back corps much more dangerous. In 27 career games, Hunt has 2,151 yards rushing (4.7 yards per carry) and 15 touchdowns. He added another 833 yards and 10 touchdowns as a receiver, which was an area he improved vastly in during the 2018 season.
In 11 games before his release, Hunt was averaging 14.5 yards per catch and had already more than doubled his receiving touchdown totals from his impressive rookie season. They won’t have him until the second half of the season, but Hunt makes the running game in Cleveland something for opponents to fear.