Duke Johnson’s days with the Cleveland Browns ‘have been numbered’

The Cleveland Browns have reportedly been shopping Duke Johnson, and one Browns reporter believes Johnson’s days in Cleveland ‘have been numbered.’

The status of Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson’s future has been in question since the start of the off-season. Despite being one of the Browns best play-makers in 2017, Johnson did not see regular playing time last season.

Then the Browns decided to sign running back Kareem Hunt in February. The move pushed Johnson deeper down the running back depth chart and will make it harder for Johnson to get consistent touches in 2019.

Over the past few weeks, the Cleveland Browns have reportedly been shopping Johnson and have generated interest in the trade market, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. And with the announcement of Hunt being suspended for eight games, the Browns will have more clarity if they want to trade Johnson during the off-season.

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But even with Hunt’s suspension, his signing in February likely signaled the end of Johnson’s time in a Cleveland Browns uniform. During an interview with 92.3 The Fan, Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter said Hunt’s suspension will not prevent general manager John Dorsey from trading Johnson and the team will have time to replace the running back.

"“They don’t play a game for six months, so you’ve got free agency, you’ve still got the draft, you can still make a trade. They’ve got plenty of time to figure that aspect out. Once they signed Kareem Hunt in February, Duke Johnson’s days with the Cleveland Browns became numbered. It’s just a matter of when does that come to an end.” – Daryl Ruiter"

Although Johnson’s production last season was down and it is obvious the Browns want to move the 25-year-old, Ruiter believes the Browns can still get a good return for Johnson because of the amount of teams interested.

With the entire league so focused on having an effective passing offense, Johnson’s skill-set as a pass catcher out of the backfield is valuable. Since he is on a reasonable contract, there are going to be several teams that will want his dynamic ability out of the backfield.

During his four-year career, Johnson has caught 235 passes for 2,170 yards and eight touchdowns. He led the Browns in receiving during the 2017 season with 693 receiving yards.

As more teams show interest in Johnson, his value will keep going up. Trading for Johnson would not warrant moving a high-draft selection, or maybe even a mid-round pick. But Cleveland can swindle a higher draft pick than Johnson’s value warrants because of the interest from the trade market.

It is still uncertain when the Browns will move Johnson because Dorsey is reportedly waiting for the “right compensation.” But do not expect Johnson to be in the brown and orange much longer as his time in Cleveland is certainly winding down.