NFL is suspending Browns’ RB Kareem Hunt for eight games for violating its personal conduct policy, league source tells ESPN.

Related players: Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson

Nick Chubb should post RB1 numbers for the first half of the season and probably longer, as the team begins to incorporate Hunt into the offense over the second half of the season. Duke Johnson remains in limbo, but he should serve as Chubb's primary backup while Hunt serves his suspension.

The Browns have traded for Giants WR Odell Beckham, sources say. The deal is done. I am not joking.

Shocker. Beckham will now be paired with an up-and-coming young quarterback in Baker Mayfield and the duo are now poised to, as one former Brown put it, wreck the league. Normally we shy away from wide receivers who change teams, but Beckham should see a ton of work and he'll enjoy an upgrade at quarterback to boot. It's a downgrade for Jarvis Landry, who was already a question mark as his usage declined once Freddie Kitchens took over the play-calling. This is obviously a huge boost to Mayfield's 2019 outlook.

The Cleveland Browns signed troubled running back Kareem Hunt on Monday.

The Kansas City Chiefs released Hunt in December after a video surfaced that showed him shoving and kicking a woman last February at his residence in Cleveland.

Related players: Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson

Hunt joins an already talented backfield featuring Nick Chubb and Duke Johnson. Chubb was shaping up to be a top 10 pick at his position, though Hunt's arrival throws some cold water on Chubb's upside. Johnson was already being underutilized and speculation has already begun that the team may look to move him. At this point, we're assuming that Hunt will compete with Johnson for backup duties behind Chubb. Keep in mind that the NFL has yet to announce Hunt's suspension, so that will play a factor as well.

Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy said this past week that his team would not rule out the possibility of signing Kareem Hunt, and it turns out he's not alone.

Multiple teams have expressed interest in Hunt, and it now appears the former Chiefs running back will have a job "sooner rather than later," one league source told ESPN.

The story went on to say, since late November, when the disturbing video that shows Hunt shoving and kicking a woman surfaced, he has been undergoing anger-management counseling daily, according to a source. Hunt appears to be making progress with the counseling, which has helped him draw the interest of some teams, sources said. Obviously those in keeper leagues who have held on to Hunt want to continue to stick with him for next year. But, Hunt still faces potential discipline as the league continues to investigate.

Awards season has begun for Saquon Barkley, and he's picked up his first honor.

The Giants' sensational running back has been named Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was voted Rookie of the Year by the PFWA, likely signaling more split votes coming for the players who were selected 1-2 in the NFL Draft back in April.

It could be just the beginning of the awards for Barkley, who led the NFL with 2,028 scrimmage yards and joined Eric Dickerson and Edgerin James as the only rookies with at least 2,000 scrimmage yards. Barkley and Mayfield are also finalists for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year – voted on by the fans – and remain the favorites to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award given out by the league on the eve of Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta next month during its NFL Honors program.

The Chicago Bears left open the possibility of pursuing free agent running back Kareem Hunt, who was released by the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 1 after video surfaced of Hunt shoving and kicking a woman in the hallway of his Cleveland residence.

Hunt is on the Commissioner Exempt List and would need to be reinstated before he could sign with any team.

Related players: Jordan Howard

HC Matt Nagy has a relationship with Hunt dating back to his days in Kansas City. The Bears will face a decision on Howard as he reaches the final year of his contract. The story added nothing is imminent in regard to bringing in Hunt, who is subject to discipline once a team does sign him.

The Cleveland Browns will hire Freddie Kitchens on Wednesday to be the 18th head coach in team history, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Kitchens served as the Browns' interim offensive coordinator for the final eight games of the 2018 season. That work and his relationship with and development of quarterback Baker Mayfield were keys to his promotion.

The Browns did not want to lose Kitchens and denied him permission to talk to other teams about offensive coordinator openings during the interview process.

Interim coach and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was relieved of his duties and is no longer with the team.

Kitchens called plays for the Browns starting in Week 9 and it certainly appears that he had a positive impact on QB Baker Mayfield. In Mayfield's first five-plus games, he completed 58.3% of his passes for a 6.60 YPA and a 3.6% touchdown rate. In nine games with Kitchens calling plays, Mayfield completed 68.4% of his passes for an 8.57 YPA and a 7.2% touchdown rate. Mayfield was the No. 10 fantasy quarterback (19.0 PPG) in that span, so retaining Kitchens as the Browns' play-caller should result in continued growth for Mayfield in 2019.