Browns’ Johnson excelling in new role as slot receiver

By MARY KAY CABOT

The Plain Dealer

BEREA

Duke Johnson has excelled in his new role as the slot receiver during camp, and Browns receivers coach Al Saunders likened his skills to those of Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk.

That’s lofty praise, but Saunders should know. He coached Faulk in St. Louis during the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ Super Bowl-winning campaign of 1999 and also in 2000 when Faulk was named NFL MVP.

During his 12-year career, Faulk rushed for 12,279 yards and 100 TDs, and caught for 6,875 yard and 36 TDs.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have guys like Duke Johnson that have not only great running skills, but also skills as a receiver and skills as a player-in-space,” Saunders said. “I saw the other night (at the Hall of Fame festivities) a guy that comes to mind by the name of Marshall Faulk ... running backs who had multiple skills and were able to catch the football.”

And not just a back who can catch the football like back ordinarily do. But an acrobatic, circus, fight-for-ball, catch-everything-in-his-radius player.

“He catches the ball as well as any receiver that we have,” said Saunders, who’s official title is senior offensive assistant. “He has a gifted talent as a pass catcher.”

Johnson, whose 114 receptions since 2015 are third among NFL running backs, has been catching passes all over in camp – out of the backfield, split wide and from the slot, which will be his new home a lot this season.

“They’re like the queen on the chess board,” said Saunders. “They can move to every spot. They can do everything and they give you an advantage when it comes to personnel matchups.”

The goal is for Johnson (5-9, 210) to be the X factor once the ball is snapped. Now you see him, now you don’t. When Brock Osweiler, who will start tonight’s preseason opener against the Saints, shouts “move!’’ at the line of scrimmage — everyone shifts to a new spot, and Johnson often becomes a formidable receiver.

“So how do you treat Duke? Do you treat him as a running back?” Saunders said. “If so, you’re probably getting in a lot of base defense, and now from there you shift out.

“You shift him out, now you get matchups on linebackers and strong safeties and interior people. They treat him as a receiver, and now you have a game advantage in the run game because you have one less physical person.

“So if you have a player like that and it allows you to be very creative on offense, it allows you to expand and play from sideline to sideline with players that are normally in the backfield.”

Johnson asked to have more on his plate this season. Yes, he finished third on the team with 53 receptions last year and averaged 4.9 yards on his 73 carries, but he rushed sparingly — and crossed the goal line only one time. Johnson has only three TDs in his two seasons, with two through the air as a rookie — not enough for such a dangerous weapon.

“I didn’t make enough plays for the team,’’ Johnson said. “That’s something that I brought to the coaching staff, so they’re giving me the chance and opportunity to do that.

“I have to make the best [of it], regardless if Hue [Jackson] demands a lot of me or not,” said Johnson. “That’s kind of my job to do it.”

In expanding his role, the coaches determined that Johnson was the most suitable replacement for the scrappy and sure-handed Andrew Hawkins in the slot.

“We feel that he can [excel there],” Saunders said. “We feel that he has the ability.

“The most important thing in a receiver — it doesn’t matter what he’s labeled, running back, receiver, tight end — the most important thing for a pass-catcher is No. 1, catch the football and No. 2, it’s get separation and get open and he can catch the football.”

The get-open part they’re still working on.