Kareem Hunt’s limited debut in practice may pay dividends
Kareem Hunt’s CLEVELAND — first practice as a Browns player may have done more for his psyche than his preparation for this season.
Hunt participated only in individual drills during Saturday’s Orange & Brown Scrimmage after missing the first eight practices of training camp with a groin injury. But quarterback Baker Mayfield thought it was important mentally for the running back from Willoughby South High School to get back onto the field.
“I’m hoping he enjoyed that more than we did,” Mayfield said afterward at FirstEnergy Stadium. “Just for him to be out there and get to be in this stadium for the first time in front of everybody. Not that he actually played, but just to be out there, it will change your perspective.”
Hunt hasn’t played since Nov. 19, cut by the Kansas City Chiefs after video surfaced of him pushing and kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel.
Browns General Manager John Dorsey, who drafted Hunt in the third round out of Toledo in 2017, signed him to a one-year contract in February before the NFL announced Hunt would be suspended for the first eight games.
Activated from the nonfootball injury list, Hunt did no team work, but coach Freddie Kitchens was also encouraged.
“It was nice to see Kareem do that,” Kitchens said. “It’s a slow process. We want to be safe with him and careful getting him back. I was pleased, he came out and did some individual stuff, some drills; it was very good.”
Kitchens said it’s possible the 2017 NFL rushing leader could participate in Thursday night’s preseason opener at home against the Washington Redskins.
“Yeah, there’s always a chance,” Kitchens said of Hunt.
Willies moves up
When the Browns went to three-receiver sets, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry were joined by Derrick Willies, not Rashard Higgins.
Making the team as an undrafted free agent from Texas Tech in 2018 before being injured after five games, Willies is seeing more snaps with the first team than he ever has.
“We’re seeing a lot of competition from him,” Mayfield said. “It’s little things now. You’ve got to continue to execute and really trust our guys. Consistency is the key at this level. Whoever’s out there, you’ve got to be consistent with whatever receiver group it is.”
Willies, 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, has bounced back after fracturing his collarbone in practice before Game 6 last season. He caught three passes for 61 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in Game 5.
“It was heartbreaking. It took me to a really low place and I dealt with a lot of things, but learned a lot, too, from it, but I came out the other side stronger,” Willies said Wednesday.
“Last year he demonstrated the ability to catch the ball and run after the catch,” Kitchens said. “He’s a big, rangy target. He was really doing a good job on special teams [and] was coming on as a receiver. We expect him to keep coming and doing the same sort of things.”
Mayfield can tell Willies is ready to make the most of his chance.
“He’s showing he really wants it, the hours he’s been putting in,” Mayfield said of Willies. “It’s not just the bare minimum, you can tell he was working in the offseason and showed up ready for camp. Now he’s just got to continue studying the playbook. We have everything installed now, he’s just got to go out there and consistently do it at a high level.”
Study is key for Willies, Kitchens said.
“We need Derrick to keep coming and keep doing his job and stay in his book in knowing what to do and knowing how to do it and know when to do it and Derrick will be fine,” Kitchens said.
Willies is trying to make the most of his opportunities.
“Every day is important. You can’t take anything for granted. Every rep matters,” Willies said Wednesday.
Big crowd
Traffic to the stadium was similar to a regular-season game as the Browns announced a crowd of 37,686. Tickets were $5, with the proceeds going to the Cleveland Browns Foundation’s Get 2 School, Stay in the Game! Network.
Kitchens took the microphone and briefly addressed the fans afterward.