In the wake of skipping the first day of the Browns offseason program, running back Duke Johnson has requested a trade from Cleveland. A report from Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com confirms the long-running suspicion that Johnson is angling to end his time with the Browns.
Johnson saw his opportunities diminish greatly in 2018, getting just 40 carries in the 16 games. His targets in the passing game also saw a steep decline, a downward trend which accelerated when now-head coach Freddie Kitchens took over the offense midway through the season.
Finding a trade partner could be difficult. Johnson signed a 3-year contract extension last offseason and the contract hit (over $5 million per year) is a big one for a reserve running back. However, the report does indicate at least three teams have shown some interest in acquiring the 25-year-old Johnson.
Johnson is not expected to attend any of the voluntary offseason program this week.
