Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Browns don’t sound like they’re in a hurry to trade Duke Johnson Jr. and it might have little to do with Kareem Hunt’s eight-game suspension either.
When Hunt was signed in February it was widely assumed that Johnson was expendable. Maybe not.
Head coach Freddie Kitchens told reporters at the NFL owners’ meetings in Arizona this week that he sees a role for Johnson and isn’t looking to move on from him.
Some have speculated that maybe the Browns could get a third-round pick for Johnson but Thursday night the market might have been set.
The Bears traded running back Jordan Howard to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2020 sixth-round pick.
Over four seasons with the Browns, Johnson has 1,286 yards and five touchdowns rushing as well as 235 catches for 2,170 yards and eight touchdowns receiving on his resume while appearing in 64 games. He averages 4.3 yards per carry and 9.2 yards per catch.
Howard has racked up 3,370 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground while adding 72 catches for 568 yards and a touchdown receiving over his first three NFL seasons in Chicago. Like Johnson, he also averages 4.3 yards per carry but averages 7.9 yards per reception.
It should also be noted that Howard’s numbers are on the decline since his rookie season that saw him make the Pro Bowl after running for 1,313 yards and six touchdowns. He’s rushed for 1,122 yards and 935 yards in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
Even with an additional season under his belt, Johnson has fewer scrimmage yards than Howard – 3,456 for Johnson to Howard’s 3,938.
Last year Johnson signed a three-year $15.61 million extension through the 2021 season while Howard is in the final year of his rookie deal.
Considering what little compensation the Bears received for a primary back that averages over 1,300 scrimmage yards per season, it’s unlikely the Browns will do much better by dealing Johnson, who could still end up as a throw-in in a future trade.
In 27 games Hunt has totaled 2,151 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing to go with 833 yards and 10 touchdowns receiving over two years with the Kansas City Chiefs prior to his release late last November.
The dependable and sure-handed Johnson remains a nice insurance policy until Hunt is permitted to play.
