Cleveland Browns Preseason Week 2 studs and duds in win over Indianapolis
By Randy Gurzi
Stud: D’Ernest Johnson
When Duke Johnson was traded to the Houston Texans, it put a spotlight on second-year running back Dontrell Hilliard. A sort of Swiss Army Knife, Hilliard was praised for his ability to contribute as a runner, receiver, and special teams player. He took advantage of Johnson’s absence in OTAs and training camp and was ready to prove himself worthy of being the No. 2 back while Kareem Hunt serves an eight-game suspension this season.
This week, Hilliard didn’t take the field which gave way to another young running back who also seems to be able to do a little bit of everything — D’Ernest Johnson. Undrafted out of USF in 2018, Johnson found his opportunity to prove himself this year as he was signed to the Orlando Apollos of the now-defunct AAF. According to the Browns official website, he was third in the league in rushing with 372 yards on 64 attempts which is what caught Cleveland’s attention.
On Saturday, he got his chance to prove himself in the NFL and stood out. With the score tied at 7-7 in the second quarter, he got rolling and had a 15-yard run to bring the Browns into Colts territory. He then capped that drive off with a 6-yard touchdown grab. Johnson ripped off an 11-yard run to kick off the next drive as he continued to show off his quick and decisive running ability — as a side note, rookie Drew Forbes sealed the edge on that run as he continues to insert himself into the right guard discussion.
Overall, he had 53 yards on 10 rushes and 26 yards off three receptions. Johnson also got to try his hand as a returner and had another 72 yards combined on punt and kick returns. It’s true that the more a player can do, the better his chances are to make the team — and Johnson proved in this one that he can help in a multitude of ways.