Running back Duke Johnson has spent the last three seasons with the Browns and he’d like to extend his stay in Cleveland a while longer.
Johnson is heading into the final year of the four-year deal he signed as a 2015 third-round pick and said on Wednesday, via Pat McManamon of ESPN.com, that he’s started talking to the team about a contract extension. Johnson described himself as “very optimistic” that the two sides will strike a deal.
Johnson split time with Isaiah Crowell over the last three seasons and made a big mark as a receiver out of the backfield. He had a career-high 74 catches last year and has 188 catches for 1,741 yards and five receiving touchdowns overall. He’s run the ball 259 times for 1,085 yards and five touchdowns as well.
Crowell has moved onto the Jets, leaving Johnson to share the backfield with free agent acquisition Carlos Hyde and 2018 second-round pick Nick Chubb.