Trade Pitch Reunites Browns With Fan-Favorite RB

The Cleveland Browns offense could look significantly different a few weeks from now, particularly at the running back position.

Bill Barnwell of ESPN proposed a trade on Thursday, October 12, that would reunite the Browns with former fan-favorite running back D’Ernest Johnson, currently of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cleveland would also get a 2024 seventh-round pick in return for a 2024 fifth-rounder sent to the Jags.

Johnson just finished a four-year tenure with the Browns in 2022, and while he didn’t see much action outside of the 2021 season, he averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry across 147 rushes in Cleveland.

Johnson signed with the Jags in the offseason, but he has been buried behind Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby on the depth chart; Johnson has six carries in Jacksonville’s first five games. The Jags would get more out of this late-round pick swap than what they’re currently getting from Johnson, and the Browns would add a player who knows their offense and could become a starter.

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Browns RBs Jerome Ford, Kareem Hunt Have Struggled Since Nick Chubb Injury

Cleveland already pulled off a running back reunion this year by bringing back Kareem Hunt, though that move hasn’t been as successful as the Browns might have hoped. Barnwell suggested Thursday that Cleveland may not have a starter between Hunt and second-year RB Jerome Ford.

“The Browns signed Kareem Hunt to supplement their running back depth chart after losing Nick Chubb to a left knee injury, but I’m not sure they can feel great about what they have in their backfield,” Barnwell wrote. “Hunt averaged 3.8 yards per carry last season, and he has 25 yards on 10 carries so far since rejoining the team.”

Ford hasn’t had success rushing the football since a 100-plus-yard performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.

“Jerome Ford has turned his 19 carries over the past two games into 44 yards,” Barnwell continued. “Some of that was about not having Deshaun Watson under center for the game against the [Baltimore] Ravens, but it’s not clear whether the Browns have a viable starting back on their roster.”

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D’Ernest Johnson Had Special Run with Cleveland Browns

While Johnson’s run in Cleveland may have been brief, it was also undoubtedly special.

As Barnwell mentioned, 2021 was the season of note. Johnson earned two starts that year and showed his range as a runner and a pass-catcher. The running back logged 100 rushes for 534 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 137 yards, per Pro Football Reference.

Along the way, Johnson grabbed the attention of Ohio native LeBron James and became a fast fan-favorite across Cleveland. However, the Browns’ decision to select Ford in the fifth-round of the 2022 NFL Draft pushed Johnson to the practice squad. He remained there for much of the campaign, appearing in just five games — primarily as a special teamer.

Now five games into 2023, it appears Cleveland may have miscalculated by favoring Ford over Johnson. There are potentially other options for the Browns if they’re looking to trade for a running back, though Johnson would be the most feel-good story and probably the most affordable. He carries a salary cap hit of just $1.2 million in 2023.

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