The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
NFL suspends Hunt for 8 games
“My commitment to earning the trust of the league, my teammates, the organization and this community through my actions will continue, and I understand there is a lot of hard work ahead of me before I’m able to fully return to playing the game I love.” Kareem Hunt, Browns RB
Browns running back Kareem Hunt on March 15 was suspended by the NFL without pay for the first eight regular season games of 2019 as punishment for shoving and kicking a woman in a downtown Cleveland hotel in February, 2018, when he was a player for the Chiefs. The Chiefs released Hunt on Nov. 30 last year when the video surfaced. Hunt was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, which meant no team could sign him for the final five games of 2018. Browns general manager John Dorsey, who drafted Hunt for the Chiefs, signed the former Willoughby South High School star to a one-year contract last month, knowing Hunt would be suspended for part of the 2019 season. “I want to again apologize for my actions last year,” Hunt said in a statement released March 15 by the Browns. “I know that my behavior hurt a lot of people, and I again apologize to them. I respect the league’s decision on discipline, and I appreciate the time I spent with Commissioner (Roger) Goodell last week. “I’m grateful for my time with the Browns over the last month and thankful to all the people in the organization that have welcomed me. I also appreciate all of the support I received from my union through this process.
“My commitment to earning the trust of the league, my teammates, the organization and this community through my actions will continue, and I understand there is a lot of hard work ahead of me before I’m able to fully return to playing the game I love.” Hunt will be allowed to participate in all off-season activities, including OTAs, minicamps, training camp and preseason games. His suspension begins after the final roster cutdown on Aug. 31. No Browns official was quoted in the news release issued by the team, but Dorsey was asked about Hunt during a conference call March 14. “I have not heard back from the league,” Dorsey said at that time. “We will react accordingly once we hear back from the league. I do know this with regards to Kareem; he has been in the building and I know that he has really done a nice job of being committed and of doing that work so that he can be the best version of himself. I know he has been diligently working on that.” The news of Hunt’s suspension could make the Browns less likely to trade running back Duke Johnson. As it is, the Browns running backs the first half of the season would be Nick Chubb, Dontrell Hilliard and Johnson. Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards as a rookie in 2017. He rushed for 824 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 26 passes for 378 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games in 2018 before being released by the Chiefs.
Browns sign Lamm
The Browns added depth to their offensive line March 16 by signing 6-foot-5 310-pound Kendall Lamm. Lamm broke into the NFL in 2015 with the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie from Appalachian State. Lamm has started 24 of his 55 career games. He started 13 games at right tackles for the Texans in 2018.