The Browns secured one of their better players through the 2021 season on Thursday.
The franchise and running back Duke Johnson agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension worth $15.6 million, including a signing bonus of $5 million, a person familiar with the deal confirmed for the Beacon Journal/Ohio.com.
NFL Network first reported the news.
Johnson's average annual salary of $5.2 million ranks eighth among all NFL running backs, according to the contract tracking website Spotrac.com. He's one spot below Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys, seventh at $6.2 million, and one above Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals, ninth at $5.1 million. Carlos Hyde, signed by the Browns in March, is 10th at $5.08 million.
Hyde and Nick Chubb, a second-round pick (No. 35 overall) in April's draft, are expected to create a one-two punch to complement Johnson, who has been the top receiving threat at his position since he entered the league three years ago.
New Browns general manager John Dorsey signed wide receiver Jarvis Landry to a five-year, $75.5 million contract extension in April after trading for him in March. But Johnson is the first Browns player Dorsey inherited and secured with an extension.
Johnson said last month the Browns and his agent, Kristin Campbell, were engaged in contract extension talks and he was "very optimistic" the two sides would get a deal done.
"I believe that not only the (coaching) staff but the front office wants me here," Johnson said May 23.
Before the extension had been agreed upon, Johnson was scheduled to make a base salary of $1.895 million this year in the fourth and final season of his rookie contract and become an unrestricted free agent in March.
Four days prior to the Browns finishing last season 0-16, Johnson was asked if he ever needs to give himself a pep talk about returning to the team, considering the incessant losing he has endured since it drafted him in the third round (No. 77 overall) out of the University of Miami in 2015.
"Me? No shot, and the reason being is this is the organization that gave me my shot," Johnson, 24, said. "Drafted in the third round, a lot of teams passed on me, but this team took me. And I want nothing more than to start and finish my career here."
Johnson, 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds, hasn't missed a game in his three NFL seasons and has 259 carries for 1,085 yards (4.2 average) and five touchdowns to go along with 188 catches for 1,741 yards and five touchdowns. Since he entered the league, he leads all running backs in catches, receiving yards and scrimmage yards per touch (6.3 average).
He had his most productive season in 2017, with 82 carries for 348 yards (4.2 average) and a career-high four touchdowns, plus career bests of 74 catches, 693 yards and three touchdowns. The local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America voted him the team's player of the year. He and Herschel Walker are the only running backs to record 500 receiving yards in each of their first three NFL seasons. Walker did it from 1986-88.
