Playmaker lacks chances
Running back Johnson hopes to be more involved against Jets.
The Browns haven’t gotten BEREA — much going on offense through two games, and running back Duke Johnson, one of their top playmakers, has been unusually quiet on the field.
Johnson has eight carries for 20 yards (2.5 average) and three catches for 15 yards on eight targets. He has played 64 of 151 snaps (42 percent).
Does Johnson feel like he can do more to help the Browns (0-1-1) as they prepare for their Thursday night home game against the New York Jets (1-1)?
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Johnson said Tuesday after practice. “I know I’m kind of part of the plan in a sense. Just pace your way, and you’ll figure out when we’ll start. So far, so good for me mentally.
“Just trying to push through and affect this team in different ways. If I don’t have the ball, make sure I’m pass protecting, blocking down the field, anything needed of me, special teams, whatever it is to try and help us win.”
Last season, Johnson had 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. He joined Herschel Walker (1986-88) as the only running backs to record 500 receiving yards in each of their first three NFL seasons. The local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America voted him the team’s player of
the year.
The Browns rewarded Johnson in June with a three-year contract extension worth $15.6 million, including $7.7 million guar- anteed.
Reminded of all of this, coach Hue Jackson vowed to use Johnson more.
“Obviously, he’s one of our better playmakers, and he’s got to touch the ball. He will” Jackson said. “Duke’s a tremendous player. We’re glad he’s here. We’ve got to put him in position so he can make an impact ’cause he can, and we’ll continue to look at different ways of getting him involved. But we will. We’ll get Duke going.”
Perhaps everyone should have seen this coming when two new running back were acquired in the offseason.
Browns general manager John Dorsey signed free-agent Carlos Hyde in March to a three-year, $15.25 million contract, including $8 mil- lion guaranteed and drafted Nick Chubb in the second round (No. 35 overall).
Hyde has 38 carries for 105 yards (2.8 average) and two touchdowns and two catches for 10 yards on three targets this season. He has played 83 of 151 snaps (54.9 percent). Chubb has five carries for 35 yards (7.0 aver- age) and has yet to be targeted as a receiver. He has played seven of 151 snaps (4.6 percent).
Johnson said he hasn’t talked to Jackson or offen- sive coordinator Todd Haley about wanting to become more involved.
“That ain’t my job,” he said. “My job is to perform, play football, to be a player. It’s their job to figure everything else out.”
Speaking of figuring everything out, Johnson conceded Haley might still be learning about the playmakers he has in his first season with the Browns.
“It definitely could be,” Johnson said. “I think that’s something that happens when you go from coordi- nator to coordinator, just trying to figure out their players and who does what and their skill sets, just the best way to get them the ball.”
The Browns did get John- son the ball in a crucial sit- uation in their 21-18 loss to the Saints, and it didn’t work out. Johnson took a handoff on fourth-and-1 at the Saints 37, and cornerback Ken Crawley tackled him for a 1-yard loss, forcing a turnover on downs with 9:12 left in the second quarter.
“Oh, I got to get that, find a way,” Johnson said. “There ain’t much to say about that fourth down. Given an oppor- tunity, I have to find a way to make it. Regardless of missed blocks, whatever the case may be, I have to get it.”
Best wi s hes: If w ide receiver Josh Gordon flourishes with the New England Patriots after being traded by the Browns on Monday, Johnson wouldn’t be bitter.
“I really hope he does [play at an All-Pro level like he did five years ago],” Johnson said. “Anybody I’ve dealt with, anybody I’m around that’s a good person and a good dude, I want him to do well.”
Johnson said he under- stands why the Browns felt they had done everything they could do to help the oft-suspended Gordon the past six years with his per- sonal problems.
Did Gordon simply need a change of scenery?
“We won’t know until everything plays out,” Johnson replied. “I’m hoping that’s what he needs to get his life together and get back on track. But unfortunately it wasn’t here. ”
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry learned about Gordon’s story from afar the past six years before becom- ing his teammate in March.
“All I know from the times I spent with Josh, he’s a great person and he loves this game and he wants to play this game,” Landry said. “So I wish him all the best, but we’ve got to move forward.”