Freddie Kitchens: Duke Johnson has a role on Browns

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When the Browns signed running back Kareem Hunt to join a backfield led by Nick Chubb, General Manager John Dorsey said that the move did not make Duke Johnson “expendable yet” and the phrasing suggested that there would be a point when Johnson is expendable.

Even before Hunt’s eight-game suspension was announced by the league, there was a report that the team was willing to trade Johnson because Odell Beckham‘s arrival meant Jarvis Landry could spend more time in the slot and cut down on Johnson’s opportunities as a receiver.

No deal has happened at this point and head coach Freddie Kitchens said at this week’s league meetings that Johnson has a place on the roster under any circumstances.

“I don’t know why it’s assumed that we’re going to trade Duke Johnson,” Kitchens said, via Cleveland.com. “I don’t know why we would ever want to voluntarily give up a good football player. Duke Johnson is a good football player. Duke Johnson will have a role on our football team. All these guys that are here will have a role. I don’t know when it just became a necessity to trade Duke Johnson because we signed Kareem Hunt. And I know I’ve heard that a lot.”

Kitchens went on to say that he could use Chubb, Hunt and Johnson at the same time, which shows that he’s got a flair for speaking like a head coach early in his first year on the job. Johnson is a good player and keeping him around while Hunt is suspended makes sense, but it’s hard to imagine Dorsey would totally dismiss moving a backup if they can get a useful asset in return.