Browns Took Advantage of Bill O'Brien in Texans-Duke Johnson Trade
Houston Texans head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien has established quite the reputation for getting fleeced in trades. Before this year's shocking DeAndre Hopkins deal, O'Brien sent a draft pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for running back Duke Johnson in 2019.
The pick was a conditional fourth-rounder that became a third if Johnson was active for 10 games. The running back appeared in all 16 games and that meant the Browns got the No. 97 overall pick in the 2020 draft and used it to take LSU linebacker Jacob Phillips.
The Duke Johnson trade was done by #Browns GM John Dorsey and #Texans coach Bill O’Brien, I’m told. Without a GM, Houston has several qualified personnel people assuming different roles, but it was O’Brien on the phone with Dorsey.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 8, 2019
The fact John Dorsey got O'Brien to include the stipulation about Johnson being active for 10 games is highway robbery. Johnson had played in all 16 games every year from 2015-2018. O'Brien could have at least made the total a bit higher for there to be any chance of keeping it a fourth-round pick.
The draft pick that the Browns received from Houston in the Duke Johnson trade officially will become a 3rd-round pick today:https://t.co/k56Y6wBm8O
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 17, 2019
All in all, Johnson had his worst year as a receiving back, which is his claim to fame, though he did log a career-high 410 rushing yards, but it was only by 31 yards.
Johnson wanted out of Cleveland and the team was desperate to move him. O'Brien should have had the leverage, but once again took a bad deal for reasons unknown. The only silver lining here for Texans fans is that Johnson is under a team-friendly contract through 2022, but we know how expendable running backs are in today's NFL.
The Texans desperately need an actual general manager and this is just another example why that's the case.