The Cleveland Browns were pleasantly surprised when Terrance West, the No. 94 overall pick in 2014, and undrafted free agent Isaiah Crowell both produced at the running spot as rookies last year. West rushed for 673 yards and four touchdowns while Crowell notched 607 yards and eight scores. Yet despite their solid production, both could be losing playing time as soon as this season to Duke Johnson.
The Browns invested a third-round pick into the Miami Hurricanes' career leading rusher. Though Johnson may not be the biggest back on Cleveland's roster - he stands 5-foot-9 and 207 pounds - he may be the most talented.
Johnson is a "dynamic player who can run, catch, return kicks and catch punts," according to Browns general manager Ray Farmer. "He has a complete skill set. We love that he's quick, agile and well balanced. He runs through trash. He can jump over guys on the ground, land and cut.
"He's got some Giovani Bernard to him...some Brian Westbrook."
Both comparisons would bode well for Johnson's future. Bernard rushed for 680 yards and five touchdowns while catching 43 passes for 349 yards and two more scores last year. Westbrook averaged 4.6 yards on 177 carries and 9.6 yards on 73 receptions on the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl team. It's clear that Johnson offers a different look than West and Crowell and that versatility seems to be important to head coach Mike Pettine.
"You want to be able to match up differently different weeks," Pettine said. "Some weeks, it might be a good matchup for Terrance, others for Crow. And now Duke kind of gives us that added element.
"You don't want to use the label 'third-down back.'"
Crowell is currently listed as the starter on Cleveland's depth chart and while he and West boast a bit more NFL experience, neither possesses the same skill set as Johnson. That gives him an added advantage in the continuous battle for snaps and carries. Regardless of how it shakes out, the Browns are confident that they have a trio of talented running backs to help their offense.
