The Cleveland Browns have arguably the best running back tandem in football.
They are Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Are Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt the best RB Duo in the NFL? 💪 pic.twitter.com/a0pzgubtYE
— RotoUnderworld (@rotounderworld) June 17, 2021
Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt lead the NFL's top RB unit 😤🥇 pic.twitter.com/AKI0R7DYCM
— PFF (@PFF) June 2, 2021
To be fair, each could be an RB1 on any NFL roster.
Together, their partnership has produced magic.
Hunt has laid out the goal for 2021 of 1,000 yards rushing for each of them.
It was something he believed possible in 2020, but they fell short of it.
“I believed it was possible last year, too, but some things happened. We’ll learn from it and get better and hopefully continue to put in good work this year.”
What exactly is Hunt’s perfect role in this Browns offense?
It consists of doing a little bit of everything above and beyond just running the ball and grinding out the yards when he gets the handoff.
Here are two examples of how Hunt’s skills complement the Browns offense.
1. Gaining Critical Receiving Yards
In addition to his stellar running skills, Hunt is a superb receiver.
He can line up in the backfield or with the wide receivers, catch the ball, gain necessary yards, move the chains, and score touchdowns.
Though the New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara is lauded for his receiving skills, Hunt is capable of the same thing and is underrated.
Kareem Hunt had 5 receiving TDs in 2020.
He tied Alvin Kamara for the most by an RB in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/KUmFthXZZg
— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) April 2, 2021
2. Lining Up With Nick Chubb On Designed Plays
Though the Browns have traditionally used Hunt to relieve Chubb which is expected to continue, Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt hinted that there will be a new wrinkle for the two in 2021.
“However, you want to put your most-talented players on the field, and Kareem is definitely deserving of getting playing time, along with Nick in certain packages. Those are things we have looked at in the offseason and will continue to grow.”
It sounds like these types of plays were in the works for the 2020 season, but due to limited in-person training camp and practice time, they never got worked on enough to be considered game-ready.
Browns fans who have spent the offseason talking about what the defense will look like with defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney on the field at the same time should consider this equally exciting.
Conclusion
The other thing that makes this partnership between Hunt and Chubb so successful is that each values the other.
There does not appear to be a competition or a battle of egos.
In fact, before Chubb signed his contract extension earlier in the summer, Hunt was one of the first people telling everyone who would listen that the Browns needed to get Chubb’s deal done.
“Pay that man. He’s a freak of nature. He’s like a brother to me … hope we can play together for a long time.”
As of now, the Browns will keep the Chubb and Hunt show together for two more seasons so Browns fans can enjoy the fruits of this teamwork for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
NEXT: 2 Browns Stars Likely Gone Following 2021 Season