The Chicago Bears Kareem Hunt arguments will continue to be a thing for months to come. That shouldn’t be a surprise for several reasons. It starts with the future of Jordan Howard. He turns 24-years old this year and enters the final year of his rookie contract. Combined with his questionable fit in the Matt Nagy offense, it leads many to wonder if he just played his last season in a Bears uniform.
Hence the talk about Hunt. It makes sense from a pure football perspective. The guy is a former Pro Bowler and will also be 24-years old this year. He has a direct connection to Nagy from their time together with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. The same year Hunt was the NFL rushing champion. As no-brainers go, this is about as big as it gets.
Therein lay the problem. It sounds easy, but it’s not. Players of Hunt’s caliber don’t become available without a significant reason and he is a big one. People may have dreams of seeing him in this offense, but there are two key factors that present an airtight case against that ever happening.
A Chicago Bears Kareem Hunt idea is both unwise and unnecessary
Some people have been comparing the Hunt situation to what the Chicago Cubs have been doing with shortstop Addison Russell. For those unaware, Russell has been embroiled in a situation involving his ex-wife where she’s accused him of both physical and verbal abuse. Even so, the Cubs have continued to retain his rights.
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Why would they do such a thing? Most likely is the burden of proof. Though there are plenty of accounts detailing what Russell has done, they’re still “alleged.” Innocent until proven guilty as they say. Hunt has no such luck in that regard. There is video. Undeniable video of him both shoving and kicking a woman. It’s impossible to argue that away.
Even after Hunt goes through the hoops of rehabilitation, the video will never go away. Any team that signs him is going to be challenged from left, right, and center about their moral compass. Do the Bears, who have done such a good job clearing out the locker room of such players, want to delve back into that muddy part of the pond?
Then there’s a more practical reason.
Since 2000, the NFL draft has produced no fewer than 50 running backs who made the Pro Bowl at least once in their careers. At present 18 of those names were selected in the 3rd round or later. This isn’t even accounting for undrafted players like Arian Foster, Priest Holmes, C.J. Anderson, and Phillip Lindsay. Also don’t forget that one of those 18 drafted was Jordan Howard, whom Pace grabbed back in 2018.
There is also Tarik Cohen who is a Pro Bowl special teamer but is even better on offense. The point of all this is why should the Bears feel the urge to even consider the public relations minefield that is Hunt when recent NFL history shows it’s not all that difficult to find productive running backs in low places? It doesn’t make sense.
Odds are far better they’ll seek out options in the 2019 draft class and undrafted free agency. This way they can save their image and also their money for other ventures.