Browns trade Johnson to Texans

Four months after asking the Browns to trade him, Duke Johnson finally got his wish.

The Browns on Aug. 8 traded the unhappy running back to the Texans for a 2020 fourth-round pick that could end up being a third-round choice.

Johnson has missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury. He must pass a physical with the Texans before the trade becomes official.

The trade clears what has grown into an uncomfortable situation for the Browns and Johnson, and opens the door for Dontrell Hilliard to be the second running back behind Nick Chubb, at least until Kareem Hunt returns from an NFL-mandated eightgame suspension to start the season.

Johnson said he asked for a trade around April 1 because a month earlier he learned the Browns sent out feelers to see what they could get for Johnson in a trade. He concluded the Browns were being disloyal.

Johnson’s playing time diminished drastically last season. His touches dropped from 156 in 2017 to 87 in 2018.

Johnson’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, met twice with Browns general manager John Dorsey in recent weeks. Both sides stayed firm, and Rosenhaus said his client wanted to be traded. The Browns took the stand Johnson would be a major part of the offense in 2019.

The Texans were looking for a backup to Pro Bowl alternate Lamar Miller after cutting D’Onta Foreman. Johnson fits that role.

Johnson, a third-round pick from Miami in 2015, has 299 career carries for 1,286 yards and five touchdowns and 235 catches for 2,170 yards and eight touchdowns.