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Just about anything associated with the Cleveland Browns is trending up right now. It appears that not everything is perfect, though. Running back Duke Johnson requested a trade, and quarterback Baker Mayfield doesn't seem too thrilled about it, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.
#Browns QB Baker Mayfield on Duke Johnson still wanting to be traded and why it’s not awkward to him:
“Self-Inflicted” ~~but Mayfield still feels Johnson is talented & can be a professional. pic.twitter.com/PqRwyN7O5z— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) June 4, 2019
In fairness to Johnson, he's not in a favorable spot. Last season Nick Chubb came on strong as a rookie. He proved to be an incredible talent in the NFL and has a solid receiving game as well. That already limits Johnson (who's mostly a receiving back).
Then the Browns went and signed Kareem Hunt this offseason. Although he's suspended for the first eight games, it's pretty clear he'll be a solid part of the offense once he returns. That leaves Johnson in no-man's land.
Now let's look at Mayfield's side. In fairness to him, he's not exactly wrong. You could argue that “self-inflicted” isn't a fair assessment. Johnson put up solid enough numbers in limited reps last season. At points, he struggled to get as open as he did on routes in previous years, but still finished with decent stats.
Mayfield has a point that you don't need distractions though. You want players that are goal-oriented. Hopefully, those goals aren't about personal stats and more about the team. With that in mind, the hope is probably that Johnson works hard and earns more playing time. He should have eight weeks of at least decent enough playing time to make his case.
That being said, you can't expect a competitor to be happy knowing he's getting a diminished role. Therefore, it's not entirely fair to blame either man for their feelings at the moment.
The real question will be how this affects the Browns if it does at all. Mayfield seems to want to keep things professional, and nothing in Johnson's past suggests he doesn't want the same thing.
