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General manager John Dorsey said Thursday that Johnson is seen "as a vital part of this offense moving forward," Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Rapoport also notes that there hasn't been an active trade market for Johnson since reports surfaced in early April that he demanded a trade from the team, but that presumably has more to do with a combination of Cleveland's trade demands and Johnson's sizable contract than any concerns over the running back's effectiveness. While it's possible some teams could up their offers after the draft shakes out -- or that the Browns lower their asking price if Johnson mounts a holdout come June -- it sounds like head coach Freddie Kitchens is fully counting on Johnson being available alongside Nick Chubb for Week 1 against the Titans. However, the team has offered practically zero insight on how the backfield could operate once Kareem Hunt (suspension) joins the mix for the second half of the season.
