The Cleveland Browns have some things to work out in terms of their running back situation. Their backfield is now pretty crowded with Carlos Hyde and rookie Nick Chubb joining Duke Johnson. New offensive coordinator Todd Haley recently admitted he’s still trying to work out the workload among those three.
But as far as running backs coach Freddie Kitchens is concerned, he’s planning to ride “the hot hand” with those three during the season since “if they are having success why would you change?”
“Ultimately, all three of those guys can run our running game,” Kitchens said per Andrew Gribble of the team's official website. “Duke can do a few more things in the passing game. Ultimately, we feel like that is a position of strength. Coach [Bill] Parcells taught me a long time ago, do not turn a position of strength into a weakness. You would like to keep it a strength, and we are fortunate that is where we are.”
Conventional wisdom suggests that Hyde, who signed in free agency after four years with the San Francisco 49ers, will take up most of the carries, while Johnson gets the majority of his work as a receiver and the rookie Chubb gets a few touches here and there. But it appears that Kitchens has other ideas.
It remains to be seen whether Kitchens will actually get his way and implement that “hot hand” strategy or if Haley will overrule him and go a different direction. But on the bright side for the Browns, at least they have multiple backfield options they can turn to once the season begins, which is a luxury they haven’t had in some time.
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