Browns OLB Cam Johnson Participating in NFLPA Externship Program

This week, the NFLPA released a statement that included the list of players who were selected to participate in their third annual externship program. 26 current and transitioning NFL players were placed in three-week positions in various industries, including one player from the Cleveland Browns: outside linebacker Cam Johnson. Johnson might not be a household name to fans since he was promoted to the 53-man roster in late-December of a dismal season. However, he was on the club's practice squad most of 2015.

This is Johnson's second straight year participating in the externship program. In 2015, when he was still with the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson's externship was with the University of Maryland Athletic Department. This year, his externship is with Events DC, which brands themselves as "the face of conventions, sports, entertainment and cultural events within our nation’s capital."

The blurb below explains the purpose of the program:

For three weeks during the offseason, externs will spend time with various organizations that are committed to providing insight on their respective industries, assigning real-world projects, and offering feedback to the externs on what would make them more marketable. ... The companies’ playbooks for the three-week externship cover topics such as market data analysis, hospitality, communications, health and safety innovation, sales, legislative processes, and networking. The NFLPA will also host local externs for a day of professional development, including an address by Executive Director DeMaurice Smith and advice for successful job interviewing and crafting résumés.

The program runs through March 4, so we hope to provide an update at some point on Johnson's experience. Click here to see the full list of this year's participants and host companies.