Running back Kareem Hunt, who is seeking a contract extension, has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns, but the team has privately declined that request, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Hunt, who is in the final year of a two-year, $12 million deal, has missed team drills the past two practices and has told the Browns he will not participate until he gets an extension, a league source told ESPN.
The news of Hunt’s trade demand was first reported by Cleveland.com.
Hunt’s situation adds more drama for the Browns, who are waiting to see how long quarterback Deshaun Watson will be suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Watson was suspended for six games by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson on Monday, but the NFL appealed the ruling Wednesday, seeking a tougher penalty.
The 27-year-old Hunt has been productive during his three seasons for Cleveland, but he missed nine games last season with calf and ankle injuries and finished with 386 yards and five touchdowns, finishing third on the team in rushing behind Nick Chubb (1,259 yards) and D’Ernest Johnson (534 yeards). Hunt led the Browns with 11 touchdowns (six rushing, five receiving) in 2020.
Hunt, who led the NFL in rushing as a rookie with the Chiefs in 2017 when he had 1,327 yards, was released by Kansas City a year later after video surfaced of him shoving and kicking a woman. He signed with the Browns in 2019 and was suspended for the first eight games of that season for violating the personal conduct policy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.