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Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson is reportedly ready for his time in Cleveland to come to an end.
The fifth-year running back, through his representatives, has asked that the Browns trade him, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot:
Breaking: Duke Johnson's reps have asked the #Browns to trade him, a league source tells clevelanddotcom https://t.co/pWeTKOdQWw
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) April 1, 2019
Johnson has been at the center of numerous trade rumors since the end of the 2018 season. The speculation has only intensified since general manager John Dorsey signed free agent running back Kareem Hunt, who will miss the first eight games of the upcoming season while serving a suspension.
With Nick Chubb coming off a stellar rookie season and Hunt waiting in the wings, it seems like that there will not be enough touches for Johnson, which could be why he is reportedly requesting a trade. Much like defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday afternoon, Johnson appears to be the odd man out with the current front office’s revamped roster.
It is not clear what Dorsey could get for Johnson in a trade, but given his track record so far it would not be surprising if it is another player-for-player swap.
Johnson had a strange year in 2018 with career lows in rushing attempts and receptions, but he still averaged five yards per carry and 9.1 yards per reception. He is also still the same player who set franchise records for a running back with 74 receptions and 693 receiving yards in 2017.
Johnson had more than 500 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, joining Herschel Walker as the only running backs in league history to achieve that mark.