The Houston Texans made a splash with the acquisition of former Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson. Unfortunately, it appears, fans will have to wait a bit longer to see him in his new digs.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Johnson is not expected to play against the Lions this week:
Article Continues BelowDuke Johnson remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and isn't slated to play this week against the Detroit Lions
Johnson's designation is likely a precautionary one at this point. Although Houston would ideally like to get him acquainted with the offense as soon as possible, their main priority should be ensuring his health for the start of the 2019 NFL season.
Johnson spent the first four years in Cleveland largely playing a complementary role in the backfield. During that time he was able to establish himself as one of the NFL's premier receiving backs thanks to his prowess as a pass-catcher. Although he saw his workload decrease significantly last season, he still showed off his versatility by averaging 5.0 yards per carry and hauling in 47 receptions for 429 yards and three touchdowns.
The Texans experienced some turnover in their backfield this offseason with the departure of Alfred Blue and release of D'Onta Foreman. Fortunately, Johnson's arrival should provide them with some much-needed depth behind running back Lamar Miller. While Miller has a hold on most of the early-down work, Johnson's skill set should provide him with an opportunity to receive some ample touches. It will be interesting to see how his role develops once he is fully healthy.