Duke Johnson, Jr. got his trade request granted by the Cleveland Browns, who have announced they have dealt the running back to the Houston Texans.
We’ve traded Duke Johnson Jr. to the Houston Texans
Details: https://t.co/e3swuboBmX pic.twitter.com/hB6sQtRKky
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 8, 2019
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the return will be a 2020 fourth-round pick. However, likely depending on Johnson’s performance in 2019, the pick could become a third-rounder.
The #Texans traded a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft that can become a third-rounder to the #Browns for Duke Johnson, source said.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 8, 2019
The Texans were in the running back market after parting ways with backup D’Onta Foreman last week. That move left Lamar Miller as the starting running back. While Miller is a reliable option, his production and performance have decreased in recent years.
Behind Miller on the depth chart was Buddy Howell, who was signed as an undrafted free agent in May 2018 by the Dolphins but found his way to Houston four months later. Further down on the roster is Josh Ferguson, an UDFA who latched on with the Colts in 2016 and remained with the team until 2018. He then spent a week on Houston’s practice squad, then left for New England, and is now back in Houston.
Presumably, Johnson will move into the No. 2 role in Houston, although an impressive training camp coupled with Miller’s struggles could bump Johnson up to the starting role. However, the two aren’t in a massive position battle, as Miller is more of a runner and Johnson more of a receiver.
Johnson, now 25, was a third-round selection of the Browns in 2015. In four years with the team, he had 299 carries for 1,286 yards and five touchdowns. As a receiver, he has been targeted 303 times, hauling in 235 passes for 2,170 yards and eight touchdowns.
Johnson requested a trade earlier this offseason, and parted ways with agent Kristin Campbell of 40 Sports & Entertainment Group one month ago, swapping her for super-agent Drew Rosenhaus of Rosenhaus Sports.
2019 will mark Johnson’s first year that he is playing under a non-rookie contract. He’s currently playing out a three-year, $15.61 million deal he signed last summer. The post-June 1 trade comes with $1.5 million in dead cap money for Cleveland, but also carries $2.3 million in cap savings.
With the trade, the Browns now hold 10 selections in the upcoming draft. Their current running back room is headlined by second-year standout Nick Chubb. Backing him up, when he returns from his eight-game suspension, will be Kareem Hunt. After that, the role is really up for grabs, but the team’s depth chart lists Dontrell Hilliard followed by D’Ernest Johnson.
This is a trade that seemed inevitable for all three parties involved. Johnson wanted out, the Browns didn’t want to deal with him, and the Texans needed a running back.
