Kansas
Chiefs Signing RB Kareem Hunt to Practice Squad, Completing KC Reunion
The Kansas City Chiefs are reuniting with a familiar face as the team is reportedly signing running back Kareem Hunt to the practice squad.
Reported by Nate Taylor of The Athletic, Hunt now returns to the team that drafted him in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
With starting running back Isiah Pacheco reportedly set to miss 6–8 weeks due to a fractured fibula, it’s no surprise that the Chiefs wanted to add depth at the position. It was, to most, a surprise that Hunt was the first back to visit Kansas City. Hunt was waived following an off-the-field incident in 2018 and later admitted that he “didn’t tell [the Chiefs] everything,” leading to the team choosing to cut Hunt even after he racked up nearly 3,000 yards from scrimmage in 27 games with the Chiefs.
Hunt spent the 2019–23 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, with his most productive year coming in 2020. Last season, Hunt appeared in 15 games and carried the ball 135 times for 411 yards, good for 3.0 yards per carry, a career-low. He also caught 15 passes for 84 yards, also hitting a career-low 5.6 yards per reception. At 29 years old, it’s hard to project Hunt’s fit in the Chiefs’ offense as he slots in behind undrafted free agent rookie Carson Steele and veteran Samaje Perine, who is just over a month younger than Hunt.
On Monday, head coach Andy Reid acknowledged that general manager Brett Veach would be looking at options to reload the running back room in Pacheco’s absence behind Steele and Perine, though practice squad backs Emani Bailey and Keaontay Ingram may have an early advantage after spending training camp and the preseason with the Chiefs.
“As far as Pacheco goes, we’ll go with the guys that 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.”