DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns may make Duke Johnson No. 1 slot receiver

Browns may make Duke Johnson their No. 1 slot receiver

Michael David Smith
July 24, 2017
PFT

Cleveland’s Duke Johnson is a running back, but he’s had more receiving yards than rushing yards in each of his first two NFL seasons. In his third season, he may not be a running back at all.

Johnson is the leading candidate to be the Browns’ No. 1 slot receiver, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Last year Andrew Hawkins was the No. 1 slot receiver in Cleveland, but he left for New England in free agency.

As one of the few bright spots in Cleveland’s offense last season, Johnson caught 53 passes for 514 yards and ran 73 times for 358 yards.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...-slot-receiver/

I'm not much of a fan of this at all.

There's gotta be some WR in FA or something that can play the slot. Wasn't Jordan Payton drafted to do this?

Why would we want to put our backup RB (with very little known depth behind him) as our slot receiver? If the Crow went down, then what? Duke would have to go back to being RB?

The guy should be focused on one position, and that's RB. He's not a bad back. I think he's a good 3rd down/change of pace back. The biggest reason that he isn't a great option as a starter is because I don't think his body can handle a big load for too many games in a row

But does this make sense? I mean, a change of pace RB is already a lot on the plate. Isn't he our punt returner too?


I like Duke. I think he can do a lot. But he already has a position, which he needs to really focus on.

He needs to be ready, at a moments notice, to step in for Crowell too.

So he doesn't just need to know his plays, he needs to know all of Crow's plays too.


Now we want to try to work him in as a slot receiver?

If we had a RB that seemed viable to come in and replace Crow, if Crow was to go down, then this would make some sense.

But we don't. Duke is that guy. Our backup RB and our change of pace back, who we can put in the game and line up wide (catching defenses off-guard and creating match-up problems).

To designate the guy as the full-time slot reciver just doesn't make sense to me. Not unless we have enough depth at RB, that he only needs to know plays designated for him (and doesn't have to be prepared to take over for Crowell)

as I've said many times, I honestly do think Matt Dayes will be a pleasant surprise. I've seen him enough in college to understand his skill set. Maybe this is a sign that he's impressed the coaches enough to move Duke around a little bit.

I am in favor of keeping your best players on the field. Duke has the hands, and plenty of quicks. I'd rather see Duke in a starting slot position over a back-up running back position.

I think it's a great idea.

As for backs, the team seems to like Adkinson, and Dayes looks like a nice change of pace back. We also have to consider that finding waiver wire backs as camps move forward isn't all that hard. You can always find good enough backs to fill your back-up on a one and done deal.

Forced? Where did you get that from? Is this possible move more to get your best players on the field, even if not their "normal" position?

He's rather see Duke on the bench except in 3rd and long situations rather than on the field on 1st and 2nd down, possibly helping to avoid 3rd and long.

I believe we have a FO with the most/best brain power that we've had in a long time. They won't ever be perfect but I think that if we can figure it out, they can figure out that they will have a potential problem with Crow next year and will act according.

Not sure what form that comes in.. Draft maybe? Free Agent? guys already here? Who knows but if they know it's a possible hole that needs filled, I'm pretty sure they will take all necessary action to fill it.

What Crow has to worry about is production. Without production this year, his market value here or anywhere else will be diminished.

However we get the ball into Duke's hands more, I'm all for it. He's extremely effective when the football is in his hands.

You find ways to keep your best players on the field and Duke may be the 2nd or 3rd best player on offense behind Joe. He can't take the every down pounding like crow but he is the best route runner and probably best hands on the team. The rookie we drafted can be your 3rd down back when needed anyway.

Great decision.

Duke Johnson is also a great runner though. He just can't handle a full load.

I'd rather we just run the ball more, and use him to spell Crow.

This kind of stuff never seems worth it to me.

I see the guy as a poor man's Brian Westbrook. He's a very good runner. His ability to go up the middle isn't bad at all. He can block, he is a very very good receiver. He can go outside too.

He just can't take the beating that Westbrook can (and I don't think he's AS dynamic as Westbrook was).

I'd rather we run the ball more and use both our RBs more.


Designing plays where he ends up a slot receiver works for me, but using him primarily as the slot receiver makes no sense.


I've seen very little of this Atkinson, and I never had heard of Dayes in College. I had seen Duke Johnson in College. He was a heckuva player. I still think he's a good one. We just need to be in the game to utilize him more.

It's tough running the ball when you're always playing from behind and defenses line-up to stop the run

That's a scary thought, but it might be true. None of our receivers have shown particularly great hands.

I'm fine with having him and Crow on the field most of the time.

I'll believe this when I see him lining up in the slot every times there are three WR's on the field. Until then... eh.

I agree. Every time some reporter writes an article filled with speculation, the fans go crazy.

Peppers is holding out! And the beat goes on.....

Arizona did the same thing with Andre Ellington.

I'll believe this when I see it. I highly doubt that DJ will be the slot receiver.

I think the 3 wide receiver set will be Britt, Coleman and Louis.

I don't think DJ is a better slot then any of the top 3 would be.

I mean its kinda big deal for DJ to move from RB to WR and its something that would have been mentioned before.

Now; I fully agree with DJ should being a bigger part of the passing game but from the backfield as RB. I think the mismatch advantage he provides is lost if he's matched up against a DB as opposed to LB.

Yeah, we'll see how much he actually plays that position. I think occasionally lining him up in the slot is a good thing. All kinds of teams use RBs like that. Heck, we've already done it ourselves.

I do wonder what all the posters who are saying it is a great move to be our slot WR will say when he isn't actually the starting slot receiver?

Will the Browns be dumb for not giving him that role? LOL

They'll be right either way, just watch. lol

Lots of teams try to get the ball in a change of pace back's hand more by lining him up at WR.

I doubt that means he is a starting slot WR. I think they are just trying to get the ball into the hands of playmakers.

Obviously, I don't know for sure........but that is my take, as well.

this is a new trend in the NFL .. PIT, NE, ARI, SEA ... they put their best hands RB in the game, then motion him out to the slot to make the LB (in man coverage) exit and be isolated. If your RB is versatile, there's no way to match up ... NE won the SB because of James White

That's what I'm hoping.

I recognize that Duke is good at receiving the ball. He's also a good runner.

IMO, he's not utilized enough.

But he should be utilized as a RB, who creates mismatches by lining up in the slot, etc.

Not as the next Dennis Northcutt.

If we can run the ball effectively, with this offensive line, I think we should be able to get Duke his touches.


It's just hard to think that out there, somewhere, there isn't a better option to play the full-time slot than Duke. Duke has never been asked to do this or be used this way.



This is coming from a Mary Kay Cabot article. I just don't know if i'm going to take this word for word. More likely, we'll be running offenses sometimes where we have Coleman, Britt, Louis/Devalve/Njoku, and Duke Johnson will motion out of the backfield into a slot position. The goal of this is to get him covered by a LB and create the mismatch.

That's how you utilize someone like Duke in the slot

Agree he's a playmaker who needs ball more....Edelman and he have very similar bodies- QB vs RB...both good hands, "suddenness", could be good/great route runner...I say why not, best 11....score points....GO Browns!!!

Fair enough in that they're both playmakers

But Edelman worked as a receiver in the NFL for awhile before he was very productive. He had to learn the position. He's 31 years old.

To send Duke into training camp this year, and say "Okay Duke, you're now our slot receiver" is a tall task to ask of a guy.


To ask Duke to take on Edelman's role (as that of a full-time wide receiver) just doesn't make sense. Duke needs to be utilized like Brian Westbrook.

Bill, Tom and the Falcons helped a bit too.

JK

Taylor Gabriel sure would make that a moot point ....

I don't remember Gabriel being much of a slot guy here. He reminded me more of Benjamin. A small guy who was best lined up on the outside.

I think it's the same with Corey Coleman.

Sometimes people look at receivers and think that just because they're small they play the slot. That's not always the case.


Although I have no idea how Gabriel was used last year in Atlanta, except that word has he was used effectively

I agree. Percy Harvin killed it out of that set when at Florida.

2 years in a row the Browns have took a took a player from his original drafted position and have plans on moving him.to WR.
That's a inditement on the state of the WR core to say the least
Pryor last year and Johnson this year
As another NFL team done that in recent memory ?
This isnt a genius move by Hue.
I think it's move out of desperation cause its evident the other WRS aren't progressing as planned

Are you being serious right now?

Moving to WR is the only reason Pryor is still in the league most likely.

And he did it two years ago.

I'd like to see a lot more of Duke and Crow on the field at the same time. I think that we can create some mismatches. 2 backs and run Duke behind Crowell. Or send Duke to a Wr spot and go single back with Crow. Run Crow vs a light box or pass it if they try to keep that extra Lb in to cover Duke while providing run support.

It just makes sense on so many levels. As i said earlier and you just mentioned, it makes sense to have your best players on the field at the same time. It can create some nice mismatch opportunities

Hue can get pretty crative.

j/c

as others have said, getting our best players on the field is imperative ... we don't have many good playmakers, so we must maximize them. We can't afford to have Duke on the sidelines just because Crow's in the backfield

One of these days somebody is going to listen to me and start using TWO good RB's at the same time again. AKA Byner/Mack. Two guys who can run/ catch/ and block.

Come on Hue let me make you look good