The Cleveland Browns reportedly have a difficult situation on their hands as running back Duke Johnson expressed his desire to be traded from the team on Monday afternoon.
It's likely the addition of former Pro-Bowl running back Kareem Hunt left Johnson in doubt over the role he'll be playing going forward. The emergence of Nick Chubb also drastically cut into Johnson's playing time/reps last season. Johnson had career lows in significant categories including rushing and receiving yards as well as carries and catches.
There is some speculation that since the news broke, there are plenty of teams interested in acquiring Johnson and supposedly they have been calling about the four-year player for a while now, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
The Jets, Texans and Eagles have all been interested in Johnson ever since the Browns signed running back Kareem Hunt in February, a league source said. Other teams have inquired as well.
Although the Eagles appear on the list, it's likely they are out considering they just signed Jordan Howard last week. However, the Jets and Texans would be solid landing spots for the talented pass-catching back. The Jets could also be out due to the fact they just broke the bank on signing Le'Veon Bell, but the Texans could be his best bet. Houston is in a solid spot with their current roster and have plenty of carries to distribute between Lamar Miller and Johnson if the situation arises.
Johnson's desire to be more heavily involved in the offense is not asking much considering his skill set and ability to make plays. The Browns will have plenty of offers lined up as Johnson could play a crucial role in a team's offense. Johnson is amongst one of the league's best pass-catching backs and is excellent in change-of-pace situations.