Kareem Hunt injury update: Status for IR return ahead of Week 10 vs. Patriots

Wednesday update: Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski says they will not get Kareem Hunt back this week, per Jake Trotter. Right now it doesn’t look good for him anytime soon, per Kimberley Martin. D’Ernest Johnson is the lead back at the moment, but Nick Chubb still has a chance to clear COVID-19 protocols before their matchup with the Patriots.

The Cleveland Browns have been shorthanded at running back for much of the year, and it is turning into a critical issue in Week 10. The team learned Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton both tested positive for COVID-19, per Adam Schefter. Both are vaccinated, but still need to have back-to-back negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

The team is currently down to D’Ernest Johnson as the only available running back on the 53-man roster. The team is hoping to get Kareem Hunt back sooner than later, but he is likely out at least another week or two. The Browns placed him on IR after he suffered a calf injury in Week 6. He has missed the minimum three weeks, but it does not appear likely he will return in Week 10 against the Patriots.

The team will formally activate a 21-day practice window when they are ready to return Hunt, but they have not done that yet. Head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media after the injury that Hunt was looking at an absence of four-to-six weeks. This week is the four-week mark.

If Chubb is not available on Sunday, it is all but certain to be the D’Ernest Johnson against the Patriots.