Browns running backs: Stay or go in 2018?

The Cleveland Browns have several roster decisions to make for 2018, including what to do about the primary running back position.

The Cleveland Browns will spend the next few months embarking on yet another one of their “most important off seasons ever” as the franchise starts its latest rebuilding project.

But unlike their past attempts to turn themselves into an actual NFL franchise, this rebuild is taking on a different look and feel.

Executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown did a considerable amount of work before he was fired in December, and because of that general manager John Dorsey has a solid foundation to build on.

In addition to sound offensive and defensive lines, along with young, promising players at tight end, linebacker and in the secondary, Dorsey has somewhere north of $100 million in cap space at his disposal, along with 12 selections in the 2018 NFL Draft – including picks No. 1 and No. 4 in the first round, plus another three selections in the second round.

Cleveland Browns

Dorsey needs to hold onto some of that cap space to start re-signing players nearing the end of their rookie deals, running back Duke Johnson comes to mind, but the cap dollars, draft picks and unwritten NFL rule that a new general manager needs “his players” to make things work means that the roster will undergo changes between now and Week 1 of the regular season in September.

To that end, let’s take a look at the running backs currently on the roster to determine who will likely still be in Orange and Brown come the fall, and who will be seeking employment elsewhere.

Current running backs/fullbacks

Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson, Matthew Dayes, Darius Jackson, Josh Rounds, Danny Vitale, Marquez Williams

Contract status

Crowell is an unrestricted free agent, Johnson is signed through 2018, Dayes is signed through 2020, Jackson is signed through 2019, Rounds is signed through 2019 (Per spotrac.com)

2017 stats

• Crowell – 853 rushing yards, 4.1 yards per carry, 2 rushing touchdowns, 28 receptions, 182 receiving yards, 1 fumble
• Johnson – 348 rushing yards, 4.2 yards per carry, 4 rushing touchdowns, 74 receptions, 693 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns, 3 fumbles
• Dayes – 13 rushing yards, 2.6 yards per carry, 4 receptions, 29 receiving yards
• Jackson – no stats
• Rounds – no stats
• Vitale – no rushing stats, 3 receptions for 19 yards
• Williams – no stats

Stay or Go?

The Browns declined to work out a new contract with Isaiah Crowell during the off season, so 2017 always seemed like his final year in Cleveland – and that was before head coach Hue Jackson downplayed Crowell’s efforts.

While he did not hit his stated goal of 1,000 rushing yards, Crowell still led the Browns in rushing and finished the season in ninth place on the franchise’s all-time rushing list. It seems unlikely that Crowell will have an opportunity to climb further up the list, however, as running backs are basically interchangeable in the NFL these days and the upcoming draft is deep at the position, so the Browns should not have a problem filling Crowell’s spot.

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Johnson was the offense’s best play maker, so of course Jackson limited the amount of time that Johnson was on the field. Still, the third-year back led the team in receiving and set a franchise record for most receptions by a running back in franchise history.

He is also just the ninth player in team history to surpass 70 receptions in a season. Johnson is a lock to return and should be in line for a new contract before the start of the 2018 season.

Dayes did his work on special teams, returning 18 kickoffs for an average of 24.3 yards per return with a long of 71 yards. During the season he became one of the poster boys for the anti-analytics crowd, who decided that the Browns should be getting more out of a player who was the next-to-last selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. He seems solid enough to earn a return engagement in 2018.

Vitale serves primarily as a blocking back and seems to get the job done when called upon. Williams played in the season finale, where he was the target on a goal line pass from quarterback DeShone Kizer. Alas, Kizer’s pass was off target, denying Williams a chance at glory. Because of his familiarity with his role in Jackson’s offense, Vitale should be able to win a roster spot over Williams in training camp.

Rounds and Jackson are developmental players, the type that will drop off a roster without anyone noticing.

Next: Browns QB group: Stay or go in 2018?

The Browns seemed primed to add a new running back in the draft, possibly as high as the No. 4 overall selection, to pair with Johnson next season. That should be good news for whoever lines up behind center as a strong running game is a quarterback’s best friend.