Duke Johnson: What you need to know about Lamar Miller's replacement
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After the ACL tear that Lamar Miller suffered in the Texans' loss to the Cowboys, recently-acquired running back Duke Johnson is likely to take over the reigns as the new starter.
Johnson was acquired on Aug. 8 in return for a 2020 conditional fourth-round pick. That will become a third-round pick if he is active on the Texans roster for 10 games.
Florida was home for Johnson, playing at Miami Norland High School before playing collegiately at the historical University of Miami, also known as "The U."
Johnson had a successful college career with the Hurricanes, being selected to an All-ACC team three times.
After foregoing his remaining eligibility at "The U," Johnson entered the NFL Draft and was selected in the third round by the Cleveland Browns in 2015.
While Johnson saw playing time with the Browns, he was never the full-on starting running back, constantly having to be a backup option.
Johnson's best season with the Browns came in 2017, where he had seven total touchdowns. That led to a three-year, $15.61 million contract extension.
Because Johnson is a dual-threat running back, he can attack opposing defenses in multiple ways.
It is clear that Johnson has longed for a larger role with a team as the starting running back and receiving heavy reps.
While it may not be under the best circumstances, Johnson now has the opportunity to thrive in the backfield behind Deshaun Watson and continue making a name for himself.
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