Redskins should inquire about the availability of Browns RB Duke Johnson

The Washington Redskins may not need another running back, but if Duke Johnson becomes available, the team should consider acquiring him.

On Monday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns made a move that shocked the NFL landscape. After seeing Nick Chubb put forth a terrific rookie season and establish himself as a top running back, the team signed Kareem Hunt in free agency. Hunt was one of the best rushers in the NFL last year before being cut by the Chiefs in wake of an altercation he had with a woman in a hotel.

The Browns apparently weren’t scared off by Hunt’s concerns, and they were willing to sign him to their roster. Like the Redskins move with Reuben Foster, this was a good football move but a rough PR move. For that reason, the move will be scrutinized. That said, John Dorsey was the man who drafted Hunt in Kansas City, so seeing him go after the Toledo product does make sense.

However, now the Browns have a logjam at running back. They have Chubb and Hunt, who both figure to play heavily into the rotation, and Duke Johnson, one of the better receiving backs in the league. It will be hard to give all three the snaps they deserve (though Hunt’s potential suspension could make things easier early in the year).

Still, even if the team does try to keep all three, one may become disgruntled. And that likely would be Johnson. When Hunt and Chubb are both active, it will be hard for the Browns to use both of them and Johnson effectively. They may end up limiting Johnson’s snaps, and it seems likely that he wouldn’t enjoy that arrangement. Add in the fact that Johnson has three years left on his current contract and is the 11th-highest paid RB in the league, and the Browns may not like that very much either.

If the Browns do decide to move Johnson, the Redskins should certainly be interested. It may not seem like an obvious need, but grabbing another receiving back would be a smart move.

Last season, the Redskins were led on the ground by Adrian Peterson. He’s a free agent and while he may come back, he’s 33 and may not have much left in the tank. Second-round pick Derrius Guice will be returning from a torn ACL. He should carry the load, but the team will need someone behind him to take the pressure off.

If Peterson doesn’t return, the team doesn’t have an obvious backup to Guice. Sure, Chris Thompson can be an explosive playmaker and great receiving back, but he is also injury prone because of his smaller size. Aside from him, the team has Samaje Perine, Byron Marshall, and Rob Kelley. None are inspiring as lead options (though Perine still has some upside). So, the team is a bit thinner than they appeared to be at first glance.

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Johnson could come to the Redskins and essentially function as a hybrid runner and receiver. He would be the No. 2 back behind Guice and would share receiving duties with Thompson. That would keep both fresh and off the injury report, and it would definitely strengthen the team’s running back depth.

A scenario in which the Redskins trade Perine and swap late-round picks with the Browns should be enough to grab Johnson. That would be a smart move, and it could benefit both sides. The Browns would be short a true receiving back, but Hunt can take on that role when he’s not suspended. Meanwhile, Perine would give them upside at their third RB spot.

Of course, there are complicating factors for this trade. The first is that the Browns don’t need to free up cap space, so trading Johnson doesn’t help them greatly in that area. Secondly, Hunt’s suspension (and the fact that he’s on a one-year deal) could make the Browns reluctant to deal a moderately priced backup that could have a solid role on the team.

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Nothing is set in stone regarding Duke Johnson, but at the very least, the Redskins should inquire about his availability. In the worst-case scenario, he’s not on the table and the Redskins can roll with what they have. Best-case scenario, he becomes what Jay Gruden was hoping Marshall would be last season. A hybrid slot-receiver/running back.

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