It's been several months since Kareem Hunt has worked out officially with an NFL team or joined a practice session. Stretching back to the end of last season with the Cleveland Browns, Hunt has been working out on his own and hoping for a team—new or old—to come calling with a place to extend his playing career into its eighth season. On Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs made that happen.
Because of the stretch of time since he was in an NFL facility with a conditioning staff and regimen, it would feel safe to assume the Chiefs would give him some sort of on-ramp before giving him carries in an NFL game. Given that the Chiefs visit the Atlanta Falcons in a matter of days (four to be exact), it feels like a stretch to think he could offer something positive just yet for the road team.
For those anxious to see Kareem Hunt on the field once again for the Chiefs, you might get your moment on Sunday.
Despite the short week and the span of unemployment, however, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid left the door open for a return to the field in short order for Hunt in Week 3 in the team's first road game of the year.
Kareem Hunt is wearing No. 29 out at practice
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) September 18, 2024
When the Chiefs take to the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they'll look far more limited in the backfield than anyone can feel comfortable with. Clyde Edwards-Helaire started the season on the NFI list and will be out through Week 4 at least. In Week 2, a broken fibula sidelined lead back Isiah Pacheco in the final minutes, and now he's on injured reserve.
That leaves undrafted rookie Carson Steele, who has shown positive signs in limited opportunities, as the primary back. Unfortunately, he also faces a steep learning curve and his fumble against the Bengals could have been far more costly. The Chiefs also have third-down back Samaje Perine, but he's also only weeks into his career as a Chief as a late-preseason signing at the end of August.
As coach Reid addressed the media this week about the signing of Hunt back to the team for the first time in 5.5 seasons, he admitted that "there's a chance" that Hunt will get elevated from the practice squad and could play on Sunday. However, he also hedged that his expectations are higher in the coming weeks.
"We'll get him in here and get some work, kind of get him back in the swing of playing and then we'll just see. As the game gets closer, we'll see how things go there and so on, but we'll try to get him in a position where he's ready to play either this week, next week, or the following week," said Reid.
Yes, Hunt has a lot to learn given his time away from the team. Faces have changed among players and coaches and the playbook will be different. That said, it's not as if Hunt hasn't been in this situation before. For someone with over 1,000 career carries, there's something to be said for the experience he brings. Football is football and he knows how to play it.
At this point, it should be noted that the Chiefs have also promoted Keaontay Ingram from the practice squad which gives the Chiefs three active running backs on game day. Will they promote a fourth in Hunt or make him wait a week as some expect? Can the Chiefs go that thin on experience versus the Ravens? How will things shake out? We'll find out in primetime on Sunday Night Football.