The Kansas City Chiefs are set to bring back a familiar face, as the team is reportedly signing former running back Kareem Hunt to their practice squad.
According to multiple reports, Hunt is making his return to Kansas City, where his NFL career began after being drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
This move comes as the Chiefs look to bolster their depth at running back following an injury to starter Isiah Pacheco, who is expected to miss 6–8 weeks due to a fractured fibula.
Given the situation, many anticipated the Chiefs would bring in reinforcements, but Hunt’s return has caught many by surprise.
Hunt was waived by the team in 2018 after an off-field incident, which he later admitted involved not being fully transparent with the Chiefs at the time.
“I didn’t tell them everything,” Hunt confessed after the incident, which led to his release despite an impressive run with the team, where he accumulated nearly 3,000 yards from scrimmage in just 27 games.
After leaving Kansas City, Hunt spent five seasons with the Cleveland Browns, with his standout year coming in 2020.
However, his production dipped last season, where he appeared in 15 games, recording 411 rushing yards on 135 carries (averaging 3.0 yards per carry, a career low) and 84 receiving yards on 15 catches (5.6 yards per reception, also a career low).
Now 29 years old, it remains uncertain how Hunt will fit into the Chiefs’ offense, particularly as he joins a backfield that includes undrafted rookie Carson Steele and veteran Samaje Perine, both younger options.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the team’s running back situation earlier this week, confirming that general manager Brett Veach was exploring options to strengthen the unit in Pacheco’s absence.
“As far as Pacheco goes, we’ll go with the guys we have here now,” Reid said. “Veach is kind of going through his list and looking at people, and we’ll just see where that goes. But we’re blessed to have some good people here.”
While Steele and Perine are expected to carry much of the workload, practice squad backs Emani Bailey and Keaontay Ingram could have an edge, having spent the preseason and training camp with the team.
Regardless, Hunt’s experience and familiarity with the Chiefs’ system could be valuable as the team navigates the coming weeks without their lead running back.
What are your thoughts on Kansas City bringing back Hunt???