4 players the Cleveland Browns can't bring back in 2024

2. Kareem Hunt, Running Back

When Nick Chubb went down with a knee injury in Week 2, it seemed as though the Cleveland Browns rushing attack would be non-existent. After 14 games, they've been able to continue to move the ball on the ground with 1,731 yards and 12 touchdowns as a team.

That's good enough for 10th in the league but they're not very efficient. Right now, Cleveland is third in rushing attempts with 436 (yes, they do run the ball) but 23rd in yards per attempt at exactly 4.0. The leader in their backfield is Jerome Ford who has 718 yards and averages 4.1 per attempt, but he's also been aided by a couple of 69-yard runs.

If you were to take out his two 69-yard gains, he would be at 580 yards on 172 rushes — which is an average of 3.37 per run. That's not great but it's slightly higher than the 3.1 Kareem Hunt is averaging right now. He does at least have seven touchdowns but it's clear he no longer has the burst he once did.

Hunt, who was re-signed after Chubb went down, is a fan favorite. He's also a Cleveland native, so he was thrilled to play for his hometown team again after it appeared they had moved on. He does deserve praise for his work as a short-yardage back but he's nowhere close to the player he once was. His speed isn't there and at times his vision is questionable.

The best-case scenario for the Browns would be Chubb coming back at 100 percent. But with no guarantees he will be back by Week 1, they need someone who is capable of being an every-down back just in case. That's why they need to move on from Hunt and find a better alternative.