The Cleveland Browns are bringing back one of their success stories from the 2021 NFL season. The franchise announced on Monday that running back D’Ernest Johnson resigned with the franchise on a one-year deal.
The Browns didn’t disclose the financial terms of the deal, but Johnson’s agent Drew Rosenhaus said that his client signed on a salary of $2.43 million. The agreement includes $900,000 in guarantees. The 26-year-old player played on an $850,000 salary last year.
With Johnson back on the roster, the Browns will now have one of the most capable RB cores in the league. The South Florida product is expected to be the team’s No. 3 back behind starter Nick Chubb and backup Kareem Hunt. This year’s fifth-rounder Jerome Ford should also get some action in the backfield.
After going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, D’Ernest Johnson spent the summer working on a fishing boat in Florida. He then played in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football in 2019 before getting a training camp invite from the Cleveland Browns and managing to make the 53-man roster.
Johnson had a limited impact in his first two years in the NFL before having a mini-breakthrough campaign in 2021. With Chubb and Hunt down with injuries, Johnson got to start two games and made the most of them. He finished the campaign with 534 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, including 146 yards and TD performance against the Denver Broncos.
