Cleveland Browns: 2018 Running back preview

The Cleveland Browns have a special group of running backs that can be the focal point of their offense as long as the coaching staff commits to them.

The 2017 season for the Cleveland Browns featured lip service to the running game, but little production and even less commitment. Isaiah Crowell is now a member of the New Jets and the Browns have added a couple of more traditional backs to complement Duke Johnson. Assuming the gameplan actually utilizes this group of backs, they could give the Browns the best group in the division.

Duke Johnson had his best season as a runner while also leading the team in receptions, receiving yards, first downs and touchdowns. He needs to work to eliminate the fumbles, but otherwise, he’s just a fantastic weapon. Johnson is also hoping for a contract extension and he should get it.

The slight concern is that Johnson, who was actually underutilized last year despite his production, will actually lose touches. Based on what he’s done, he shouldn’t, but the Browns have added other weapons into the mix, like Jarvis Landry and other backs that could eat into some of his touches. Assuming he stays healthy, his fourth season should be his best, but the Browns have to make sure he keeps getting the ball for that to happen.

Johnson is a terrific weapon, but he’s not a feature back. At least not in the offense the Browns want to run. Battling it out for that job will be free agent addition Carlos Hyde and rookie Nick Chubb. They are both between the tackles runners who understand how to run behind their pads and fight for tough yardage.

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Hyde’s career has been somewhat underwhelming to this point, but he is at least reliable to attack the right hole as a ball carrier. He’s not terribly dynamic as runner, he tends to get knicked up and his hands are dreadful (nine drops last season), but he does have size and he will fight for tough yardage.

His contract suggests he’s only going to be here this season, unless he performs far better than he has in his career to date. However, the fact is Hyde gives them something the Browns didn’t have last year. In 2017, when Crowell was struggling as he pressed in hopes of earning a lucrative contract, the Browns didn’t have someone else who could carry the ball and run inside. Duke Johnson can do it sparingly and that just isn’t Mattew Dayes’s game. They didn’t have another guy.

Should the Browns suffer an injury or just need some fresh legs in the long sought after but rarely achieved fourth quarter lead, Hyde can help shorten the game and keep the ball out of the opponent’s hands. He might even be a really nice surprise in that role as opposed to being the feature back. Hyde could be a really nice bonus.

Now, Hyde isn’t going to give up that starting job without a fight, but the problem is who he’s up against. Nick Chubb has franchise running back talent. While Saquon Barkley was the apple of everyone’s eye in this running back class, Chubb and several other backs were realistically only slightly behind him.

Chubb is everything Hyde is, but better. He’s got size, strength, speed and agility. His vision and intelligence for the position are terrific and Georgia had him run out of every look and blocking scheme he could hope to see. And he’s simply better at it, which should be such a breath of fresh air for this offense.

ATHENS, GA – NOVEMBER 18: Nick Chubb #27 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Sanford Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

The biggest difference between Chubb and Crowell should be taking advantage of opportunities. Crowell’s athleticism would occasionally create some big plays, especially as a receiver, but his he’d miss open lanes and leave a ton of yards on the field. Chubb should be a significant upgrade in finding those open lanes and capitalizing on them.

The Browns will have a legitimate back to do everything a traditional back does and a player like Duke Johnson who can be a matchup nightmare, either in the backfield or lined up as a receiver. The Browns believe Chubb is a better receiver than his college career would suggest as Georgia didn’t use their backs much in the passing game. Chubb may not be Duke Johnson in that role, but if the quarterback puts the ball on him, he’ll catch it.

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The Browns are going from a talented duo of backs in Duke Johnson and an athletic but unpredictable Isaiah Crowell to having Duke, a stud rookie talent and Hyde as their third back. That’s a pretty good spot to be in for a team desperately needing to run the ball to take pressure off of Tyrod Taylor and eventually Baker Mayfield.

One of the biggest advantages this should create is an offense that’s on schedule where the quarterback finds itself in second or third down and reasonable distances. DeShone Kizer was a mess, but this was an area where he received very little help and it put the entire offense on his shoulders, which only exacerbated the multitude of weaknesses he had.

The other advantage is if Chubb is as good as he should be, the Browns should have a healthy play action offense. Being able to press the middle and put pressure on defenses to respect the run has multiple benefits.

First, it forces them to use more balanced personnel. On third-and-9, most defenses are going to have a pass rushing lineup with their ears pinned back focused entirely on killing the quarterback. When the run is still a viable option, even if they are still geared towards the pass rush, they might have some bigger, heavier bodies in there to at least be honest to the run.

The other benefit is particularly running inside, it might force teams to keep players in the middle of the field. If they respect the fake, they are a step slow. Even if they don’t, they still may start the play at a slight disadvantage in terms of their presnap alignment.

And the Browns have two quarterbacks that excel with playaction. Taylor was really effectively being able to use playaction and stretch the field with the Buffalo Bills when they had the weapons for it. Meanwhile, Mayfield was terrific in college utilizing playaction and his meshes are difficult for defenses to pick up, which makes their reads slower, giving the offense an advantage.

The key is going to be staying healthy. And it’s worth pointing out the Browns have had remarkable luck when it comes to injuries at the running back position. Isaiah Crowell didn’t miss a game in his four years with the Browns and Duke Johnson hasn’t missed one in his three.

The Browns are better equipped from a depth perspective should someone get injured, but if the streak continues this group could be in for a big season. The coaching staff has to actually commit to running the ball, but they have more reason to with this group. They are more traditional and ‘easier’ to gameplan.

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It’s worth pointing out that Crowell and Johnson ran for 1,201 yards last year and had 2,076 total yards. If this group stays healthy and they utilize them effectively, this group should easily surpass 1,500 yards on the ground and 2,500 yards of total offense with a firmly establish tandem of Johnson and Chubb going forward. That would be welcome news to the Cleveland Browns as a whole but for the entire quarterback room as well.

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