Browns give 2nd round tender to RB Kareem Hunt

A few weeks ago, the Cleveland Browns confirmed that they were going to tender restricted free agent running back Kareem Hunt, but we weren’t sure if it would be a 1st-round tender or a 2nd-round tender. With free agency set to begin in a few days, we now have our answer, as the Browns placed a 2nd-round tender on Hunt.

The 2nd-round tender is estimated to be worth about $3.28 million, which is a savings of about $1.4 million in cap space compared to what a 1st-round would have cost. The 2nd-round tender does incentivize teams to make an offer to Hunt in exchange for a 2nd-round draft pick, and that is something that Cleveland might actually consider. Or, depending on the offer, if Hunt accepts it, then the Browns might opt to match it. For now, Hunt is a member of the Browns.

Cleveland did not offer tenders to their other three restricted free agents, including TE Ricky Seals-Jones, OT Justin McCray, and DE Bryan Cox. It’s possible the club will try to sign them on a cheaper one-year deal once they become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday at 4:00 PM ET — or they might just be ready to say goodbye to all three of them.