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5 Cleveland Browns Who Benefit The Most From Hue Jackson’s Hire

By Nick Dudukovich

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Jan 3, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson (29) runs by Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier (50) during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson (29) runs by Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier (50) during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

Duke Johnson

Duke Johnson was one a few bright spots during the Browns’ lowly 2015 season.

And with Jackson’s hire, Johnson’s stock should only continue to rise.

With Hue at the helm, the model for Johnson is the success Giovani Bernard’s reaped in Cincinnati.

The two are almost identical in terms of physical attributes. Both men are 5-foot-9. Johnson is listed at 210, while Bernard registered in at 205.

Bernard lost carries to Jeremy Hill, but the UNC product was still a vital part of the offense, especially when asked to catch passes.

Bernard caught 49 balls last season for 472 yards. In 2014, he caught 59 balls for 349 yards, but played in just 13 games.

The point: Jackson knows how to get the ball to his pass catching running back, even with weapons such as A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert as his disposal.

As a rookie, Johnson had better stats than Bernard (61 receptions for 534 yards), but the Browns don’t have nearly as many playmakers.

Next: 5 Reasons The Browns Got It Right With Hue Jackson

It will be worth watching to see what Jackson can do with Johnson, especially with Josh Gordon back in the fold, and an offseason to improve the offense.

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