Houston Texans expressing interest in running back Duke Johnson Jr.
By Avery Duncan
After the departure of Alfred Blue to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans are looking to add depth to their running back group.
No, this isn’t an April Fools day post. Earlier on in the yearly spring-time prank day, Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson requested a trade out, per Cleveland.com. Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com then listed the Texans as one of the three teams showing interest in Johnson.
To follow up these reports, I’ve also heard from sources claiming that the Texans have offered a trade package similar to the compensation the Chicago Bears received in trading Jordan Howard to the Philadelphia Eagles (future 2020 sixth-round pick). While nothing is concrete, a Johnson departure from Cleveland is imminent as general manager John Dorsey has shown a willingness in the past to clean house from the former Browns regime.
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Per Over The Cap, Johnson is owed $3 million in 2019, $4.85 million in 2020 and $5.9 million in 2021. Of those money numbers, only $4.5 million is guaranteed to Johnson over that same span.
Since entering the league in 2015, Johnson has been a productive back, primarily playing in an eerily as third-down ace James White of the New England Patriots. In February, I complimented Johnson’s game as it compares very favorably to what the Texans need. I said;
In four seasons with the Browns, Johnson has seen a similar workload both in the air and ground with very different results. In 299 career rushing attempts, he’s compiled 1,286 yards, good for 4.3 yards per rush, while also tallying five touchdowns. Through the air, Johnson career totals feature 2,170 yards on 235 receptions, an average of 9.2 yards per catch, with eight touchdowns.
To put his receiving stats in perspective, Johnson not only had a better catch percentage (75.8 percent) in 2018 as all the Texans running backs combined (73.4) on the same amount of receptions (47). Johnson also had 84 more receiving yards and one more receiving touchdown than the Texans running backs this past season.
In pass protection, Johnson has also proved to be a valuable commodity. He uses his 5-9, 210-pound frame to the best of his ability as a tenacious and willing blocker. That happens to fit the Texans needs as third-down back considering the poor performance of their offensive line in 2018.
Next. 3 cornerback targets for the second round. dark
Johnson is a talented back that could help the Texans in a multitude of ways. He’d join a backfield that is easily attainable in terms of a starting spot. While nothing is concrete, the situation will surely be one to keep an eye on as the Texans are a few weeks away of the 2019 NFL Draft.