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Cleveland Browns: 5 Pro Bowlers who faded with Baker Mayfield

By Elliot Kennel

Jul 25, 2019; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) and quarterback Baker Mayfield (right) after training camp at the Cleveland Browns Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 25, 2019; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) and quarterback Baker Mayfield (right) after training camp at the Cleveland Browns Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cleveland Browns
Browns running back Kareem Hunt (27) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Cleveland, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal] /

Kareem Hunt has been good but not a Pro Bowler with the Cleveland Browns

Kareem Hunt has been a very good football player for the Cleveland Browns, but it would be fair to say that his best season was his rookie campaign in 2017 for the Kansas City Chiefs with Andy Reid as the head coach, Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator and Alex Smith as the quarterback.

Kareem Hunt was and is a Cleveland kid, the pride of the Willoughby South High School Rebels, where he rushed for 2,685 yards and 44 touchdowns as a senior. He wound up playing for the Toledo Rockets in the Mid-American Conference, where he gained 4,945 rushing yards and wound up being drafted in the third round by the Chiefs.

Reid loved to run the ball and throw short passes, and that played into Hunt’s strengths. Hence Hunt had an outstanding season with ball-control wizard Alex Smith running the offense. If you call a quarterback a game manager that is considered an insult in some circles, but that is exactly what the quarterback is supposed to do if your team wants to mount sustained drives, especially with a great running back. Think Joe Montana, Bart Starr, and Troy Aikman. He posted 1,327 rushing yards and 455 receiving yards.

In 2018, Smith was traded and Patrick Mahomes became the starter with more of a long-ball vertical passing offense. Hunt’s rushing numbers dropped off a bit (4.6 yards per carry versus 4.9 yards per carry as a rookie), but as a receiver he had 26 catches for 378 yards, averaging 14.5 yards per reception. He only played 11 games due to injuries, but his overall yards from scrimmage per game remained at about the same high level as his rookie campaign.

For the Browns, Hunt has been very capable, but he averages 7.9 yards per reception versus 10.5 yards per reception while wearing a Chiefs uniform. In terms of total yards from scrimmage per snap, as a Brown he averages 1.99 TYFS/snap; as a Chief, he averaged 2.56 TYFS/snap. He missed eight games due to injuries in 2021.

He has been a very good running back, but not a threat to make the Pro Bowl while wearing the brown and orange.

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