Cleveland Browns: 3 Potential trade partners for Duke Johnson

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Duke Johnson #29 of the Cleveland Browns fights off the tackle of Marquel Lee #55 of the Oakland Raiders to score on a two point conversion during the second quarter of their NFL football game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Duke Johnson #29 of the Cleveland Browns fights off the tackle of Marquel Lee #55 of the Oakland Raiders to score on a two point conversion during the second quarter of their NFL football game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

1. Minnesota Vikings

When Dalvin Cook has been on the field for the Minnesota Vikings throughout his first two professional seasons, he’s no doubt been impressive. In 15 career games to this point, the 41st overall pick in the 2017 draft has amassed 969 yards and four touchdowns on 207 totes, good for 4.7 yards per carry. His issue, however, has been staying on the field at 100 percent.

Due to that, the Vikings spent a third-round pick in the 2019 draft on Alexander Mattison out of Boise State, a player who seems like a natural backup to Cook with the style that he runs with. The thing with both Cook and Mattison, however, is that neither player is wholly at home as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, even if they aren’t necessarily bad at it.

That’s where adding Duke Johnson to the mix would be a great notion for Kirk Cousins and the Vikings offense. The current Browns running back, as mentioned, isn’t nearly the runner out of the backfield that players like Cook are or like Mattison has the potential to be. However, he can provide a great change-of-pace option to come in and give opposing defenses new looks.

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While Minnesota has fortified the offensive line and locked up Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen to help put the $84 million man, Cousins, in the best position to succeed, adding another weapon of Johnson’s caliber to the mix would certainly be beneficial to the quarterback and, thus, the offense as a whole.