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Browns RB Duke Johnson linked to Texans, Jets, Eagles in possible trade

By Alex Butler
Duke Johnson Jr. (C) has become one of the best pass-catching running backs in football during his tenure with the Cleveland Browns. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI
Duke Johnson Jr. (C) has become one of the best pass-catching running backs in football during his tenure with the Cleveland Browns. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo

April 2 (UPI) -- There are several teams interested in trading for Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson this off-season.

Sources told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Houston Texans are among the interested parties. The Browns have been shopping Johnson for several weeks.

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Sources told NFL Network that the Browns received calls for Johnson Tuesday, but the team would have to get something "significant" in order to give him up in a trade.

The Browns are in the position to deal Johnson after a stellar rookie campaign from Nick Chubb and the off-season signing of Kareem Hunt. Chubb ran for 996 yards and scored eight touchdowns on 192 carries last season, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He also had 149 receiving yards and two receiving scores.

Hunt led the NFL in rushing during his rookie campaign in 2017 for the Kansas City Chiefs. He piled up 1,202 yards from scrimmage and 14 scores in 11 starts last season, before being released by Kansas City in December. Hunt signed with the Browns in February and was suspended for eight games in March for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

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Johnson was a third round pick by the Browns in the 2015 NFL Draft. The Miami product had just 201 rushing yards in 2018, but pulled in 47 receptions for 429 yards and three scores through the air. The pass-catching dynamo signed a three-year, $15.61 million deal with the Browns in June. He is set to make $1.8 million in base salary in 2019, but also has a $750,000 signing bonus, $400,000 roster bonus and $100,000 workout bonus.

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