What I think will happen
Crowell and Johnson are obviously the feature pair of backs in this offense. And unless the Browns completely misjudged Dayes, he should have a pretty easy path to make the roster as Johnson’s backup. I also think Dan Vitale will make the team as the team’s fullback and discussed his situation previously.
If the Browns are as intent on running the ball as Coach Jackson is saying and that’s pretty safe to assume, they will need to keep a fourth tailback. The question of training camp and the preseason becomes finding which player is ultimately going to be Crowell’s backup.
Coming into the season, I thought Darius Jackson had a good shot to backup Crowell. With him out of the picture for this year, Atkinson is the favorite to win the position, but it’s not a lock. The timing of Jackson’s injury was not great because all of the undrafted free agents were committed elsewhere, so while there are some talented rookie and veteran options, the Browns will have to wait for them. Realistically though, that is who Atkinson’s biggest competition is at this point.
One veteran option that could become available and would seemingly be a great fit for the Browns is Matt Jones of the Washington Redskins. Jones has fallen out of favors in Washington and his agent has basically asked for him to be released. His agility is better than his straight line speed, which would suggest he’s better suited to play in a zone scheme like Washington, but he is massive at 6-2.375 and over 230 pounds, so that could prove attractive for the Browns.
There are a number of other backs that could come available that are intriguing should they become available.
I’Tavius Mathers, currently with the Jacksonville Jaguars, was a talented runner and receiving threat at Middle Tennessee State. The Jaguars could also opt to let go of woeful disappointment T.J. Yeldon, which isn’t terribly attractive to me, but the Browns might take a swing there.
Matt Breida, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers and someone the Brown scouted at Georgia Southern’s Pro Day. A segment of Browns fans will likely keep an eye on the situation with former Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde. Breida was outstanding as a junior but he and the rest of Georgia Southern’s program took a major dip this past season. He’s a tremendous athlete.
Peyton Barber, just like he found himself at Auburn, is in a very crowded backfield in his second year with the Tampa Buccaneers. Were he to beat out Jeremy McNichols out of Boise State, the team’s fifth-round pick, he’d be the ideal pickup for the Browns. Nevertheless, Barber is a big back with good athleticism. If the Browns want a power back, he might be the best option.
Next: NFL 2017: Each team's biggest question before training camp
While there is uncertainty behind Crowell, if Dayes can fill the role he was drafted for, the combination of Crowell and Johnson could be in for a monster year. Everything is geared towards an offense that gets substantial production out of the running back position and it simply has to be the tone setter for the offense in 2017 and going forward.