CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns have signed running back Duke Johnson to a contract extension.
The Browns confirmed the signing in a press release late Thursday afternoon.
“I’m excited,” Johnson said in the release. “It’s fun to see how this team is shaping out, and I want to be a part of it. You can see it with the guys they brought in on offense like Tyrod (Taylor) and (Jarvis) Landry plus the guys we already had.
“I think bringing in coach (Todd) Haley adds another dimension to our offense and it gives Coach (Hue) Jackson the chance to be the head coach. John Dorsey has been bringing in guys that can play, that can ball, and that gives us a chance. Now, it’s about going out and doing it.”
PHOTOS: Duke Johnson 'optimistic' about future with Cleveland Browns
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the agreement between Johnson and the Browns is a three-year, $15 million deal with $7.7 million guaranteed and a $5 million signing bonus.
Johnson was a third-round pick of the Browns in the 2015 NFL Draft after a record-setting career at the University of Miami.
“Duke Johnson is a good football player,” Browns GM John Dorsey said. “His hard work and commitment to the Browns organization is appreciated and we are excited to extend his contract and keep him in a Browns uniform for years to come.
“Duke is an excellent representative of our organization. He leads by example, and we look forward to him playing an important role with the Cleveland Browns moving forward.”
In three years out of Miami, Johnson has rushed for 1,085 yards and five touchdowns on 259 carries, as well as turned 188 catches into 1,741 yards and five scores, and enters the 2018 season on the heels of a career year last fall.
Despite the Browns finishing with an 0-16 record in 2017, Johnson rushed for 348 yards and a career-best four touchdowns along with 26 first downs. Additionally, Johnson caught 74 passes for 693 yards, three touchdowns and nine 20-yard throws.
All of Johnson’s receiving statistics from 2017 were single-season career bests and the catches and receiving yards were the most on the team.
The Browns added plenty of new faces during the offseason, and one of the most notable spots was at running back, where they signed veteran Carlos Hyde and selected former Georgia standout Nick Chubb with a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“New faces or not, we are just trying get on one page on offense, defense and special teams,” Johnson said after a recent practice during Organized Team Activities. “Just going into the season and show what we can do.
“They made a whole [new] team for the most part. A lot of guys, a lot of new faces, like we just said. At the end of the day, I’m a player, but I also help teach and kind of mentor the younger guys, kind of teach them dos and don’ts and get caught up and just be that person for them to lean on. Regardless of who is in the room, I’m the same person every day.”
In addition to the new faces in the backfield, Johnson believes the Browns will benefit from the play-calling of offensive coordinator Todd Haley.
“It should be fun,” Johnson said. “Especially with Coach Haley coming and the guys that we have brought in on offense to help this team, I believe it will be fun to watch. We are still in the early stages, so we are still trying to get everything together and get on one page. Once we get this thing rolling, I think it will be fun.”
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