Kareem Hunt injury: When will Browns RB return?

The Cleveland Browns cannot afford to lose any star players after beating the Baltimore Ravens and remaining in play for the AFC North title. They have one of the best backfields in the league with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, but both have missed several games this season. Kareem Hunt was out from Week 7 to Week 11 and was poised to see a lot of action late in the season. Unfortunately, he suffered another injury in 2021.

RB Kareem Hunt's seeks return

Kareem Hunt exited the Week 14 win over the Baltimore Ravens with an ankle injury. He had just four touches in the game before being ruled out for the contest. Hunt's injury wasn't thought to have been severe at the time. He could likely return before the post-season.

The Browns have since called Hunt's injury to be day-to-day, and he has been ruled out for Week 15 against the Las Vegas Raiders. After the Raiders, the Browns face the Green Bay Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals to close out the season.

The Browns could have Kareem Hunt healthy enough to play in Week 16, but the question is whether it's worth risking him and missing the post-season. However, the Browns are not locked into a playoff spot yet and could run with Hunt if he's healthy against the Packers.

Based on the severity of his injury, Hunt should be able to take the field again against the Steelers in Week 17. It would make sense for him to play since there could be a playoff berth on the line against the Browns' AFC North rivals. The same goes for Week 18 against the Bengals.

Odds are that Hunt will be forced to miss Week 15 and will not be at 100 percent in Week 16 against Green Bay. He should be fully healed for Week 17, and it becomes a judgment call by Cleveland at this point. The Steelers have a porous run game, and the Browns could get an edge in the wildcard hunt and possibly the division title. No matter how you look at it, Kareem Hunt is a pivotal player for them at this point, and they will likely push him back on the field the moment he's ready.