"If he goes out and makes an earnest attempt to get the proper help, and continues to stay humble and contrite, makes amends with the victim -- yeah, I think he gets another shot in the NFL."

Of course ... Kareem's got a long way to go to even start down that road -- the league is mulling a huge suspension for the former Chiefs RB after TMZ Sports posted footage of him attacking a woman in a Cleveland hotel.

But, once Hunt gets through that ban ... Whitlock says he's got no problem with an NFL team picking the 23-year-old up -- IF the RB gets help and shows contrition.

"I wouldn't object to that."

The host of FS1's "Speak for Yourself" also tells us why everyone needs to ease up on the NFL when it comes to policing domestic violence ... saying it shouldn't be the league's job.

"We're holding the NFL to a standard that I think is unfair. We keep beating up the NFL, 'They don't understand how to deal with domestic violence,' but the police don't either!"

Whitlock says it's time to start thinking of the NFL as what he says it actually is -- a television show.