Kareem Hunt is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in March. The running back hopes to remain in Cleveland, his hometown.
“Ain’t no place like home, and this is home for me, so I’d love to be in my hometown playing for a long time, maybe finish my career,’’ Hunt said Friday, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “That would be something special. You never know. I’m just excited to do whatever it takes. They’re going to get a ballplayer.”
Hunt has 74 touches for 428 yards and three touchdowns in the seven games since returning from an eight-game suspension.
“I feel like I’m a difference-maker on the field,’’ Hunt said. “I feel like I could’ve helped win a couple more games and that’s how I feel personally.’’
Starter Nick Chubb leads the league in rushing with 1,453 yards and faces the Bengals’ 32nd-ranked rushing defense this week. Hunt won the rushing title as a rookie in 2017 with 1,327 yards.
“It means a lot [to win one],’’ Hunt said. “ I don’t know a lot of backs who can say they won a rushing title. It’s hard to do. You’ve got to be consistent. You’ve got to come ready to play every game, and Nick deserves it. He’s a workhorse type of guy, a good person, and I can’t be happier for him. He deserves the rushing title, no doubt, and I believe he’s going to get it.’’