Duke Johnson's worth now

[Benny5]

I just traded Chris Thompson for Duke and a 4th rounder... that contract, means if Barkley or other backs come to Cleveland... Duke could go somewhere and be something. I felt Thompson and Duke were about equal with their talent and potential... the 47th pick in this rookie draft could help me secure TE for my taxi squad... or let me take a shot at best available in what might have very different guys available depending on my league's owners valuations (First time dynasty owners... could be significant reaches early or lack of studying)

I love that trade for you, I agree in the talent being very similar and why not get a dart throw too.

Happened just before the Alex Smith trade too OY! lol. Nah I def drafted Thompson in our startup thinking he has breakout potential, so we will see. But you read my take, and I had to reload this years drafts after trading almost all of my 2018 away, I've now gotten most of them back lol. Appreciate your thoughts!

[sammyz]

If somehow the Browns don't wind up drafting an RB, will they go with Duke as the starter? I think he's shown enough to prove he can be. If he doesn't start this year in Cleveland does he walk and wind up starting elsewhere?

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I think he will always be a committee guy. Pass catching back with occasional 10-12 carry games. They have a ton of picks and the rb class is deep this year so I think they bring in a compliment to keep him fresh.

[UATahoe]

I think he has the talent to be a very good 3 down back in the right system. If they bring in a highly touted RB in the draft, i believe he will definitely sign elsewhere as a free agent.

[btv802]

Duke was a pretty prolific rusher in college, so yes I think he could do an ok impression of a three down RB if ever given the opportunity. Realistically Cleveland has 6 picks in the first three rounds of a very deep and talented class of RBs so it seems unlikely they don't at least bring in somebody to compliment Duke. My guess is your realistic best case scenario is Duke being deployed similarly to the way he was last year and being paired with a banger like Royce Freeman. Worst case is obvy a guy who's name rhymes with GrayQuon Sharkley.

[UATahoe]

Agreed. The likelihood of him being a 3 down back for Cleveland is slim to none. I missed the question on whether he could be the man in 2018. I just dont see that happening. I think his value lies in his free agency.

[ericanadian]

It's not inconceivable. Haley used Jamal Charles a lot in KC and when Charles went down, McCluster got a surprising amount of work. Bell is a big dude, but he has the pass-catching chops as well. I think a pass catching RB like Duke is exactly the type of RB to have some success in Haley's system.

[ninotoreS]

He has a 3-down skillset, good three years of tape, handled a full load in college and isn't too small to start in the NFL at 210lbs. I believe he's tied a Herschel Walker record for receptions by an RB over their first three seasons. Voted team MVP in '17. If the Browns don't promote him to starter this year, Duke should be sought after in free-agency in '19.

Duke could be a feature-back, but does he actually want to be one? I wonder. Players today are more conscious than ever of the toll the game takes on them, and Duke has said he wants to coach in the NFL when he's done playing. To do that, he'll need to preserve his brain health. So I wonder if he might be content to be a committee-RB for most of his career. He's always been very gracious and loyal to the coaching staff whenever the press has asked him about his touch-share, as if it doesn't bother him all that much to only get 8-10 touches a week.

[UATahoe]

Saw in an interview today where he said he would prefer to be a slot WR and not a Rb. I find this rather intriguing but dont really feel like he ultimately gets re-agged as a WR but from a money perspective, i can kind of see where he is coming from. Make the move and be successful which he has shown he can and that follow on contract starts to get much bigger. Anybody buying that he gets bumped over to the WR tag?

[hockeyBjj]

Not gonna happen on the Browns with Landry there

[UATahoe]

Agree Landry makes it more difficult.

[Seventy5]

Doubt it happens full-time for Duke, but if I was a young high school or college RB, I would be doing absolutely everything I could to develop that skillset (Christian McCaffery, David Johnson, Ty Montgomery+, etc type mold).

[Life of Pablo]

At least one skill player in this offense is gonna get the short end of the stick, if not two. Hyde seems like the obvious guess but Duke is a possibility too honestly. I think he'll be struggling for touches unfortunately.

[Life of Pablo]

Doubt it happens full-time for Duke, but if I was a young high school or college RB, I would be doing absolutely everything I could to develop that skillset (Christian McCaffery, David Johnson, Ty Montgomery+, etc type mold).

Man that is so true. I just wonder what's going through the heads of these high school/early college kids. If you're a rising RB and you're looking at all these WR contracts flying off the board compared to Le'Veon Bell fighting tooth and nail for a piece of that pie... I'd just be thinking "well sh*t".

Hell, Duke could make the full-time switch to slot WR, be mediocre at it, and probably get double the $$$ he'd get if he just stayed as a very solid receiving RB.

[ColdZealDonkeyStrike]

Yeah I'd want to be categorized as a slot WR too. Less bang, more buck.