2023 NFL Free Agency: Jaguars Add Former Browns RB D'Ernest Johnson on 1-Year Deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars made sure to stay busy on Wednesday.

On the same afternoon the Jaguars signed their first free agent of the offseason in defensive lineman Michael Dogbe, the Jaguars followed it up with a one-year deal for former Cleveland Browns running back D'Ernest Johnson.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the contract is for one season.

Former Browns’ free-agent running back D’Ernest Johnson reached agreement on a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2023

Johnson now joins a running back room that consists of Travis Etienne, JaMycal Hasty, Snoop Conner, Mekhi Sargent, and Qadree Ollison.

A former undrafted free agent, Johnson ended his college career as South Florida's all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 4,186, including 1,796 career rushing yards. He scored 29 career touchdowns at USF, including 16 rushing, 12 receiving and one punt return.

Before signing with the Browns, Johnson starred in the former Alliance of American Football, finishing second in the league in rushing and scrimmage yards as an Orlando Apollo in 2019.

Johnson played a special teams role with the Browns for most of his first two seasons, though he did rush for 96 yards off the bench against the Cowboys in 2020 when Nick Chubb went down with injury.

Johnson started two games in 2021 and for a career-high 146 rushing yards in his first career start vs. the Denver Broncos. It marked the third-most rushing yards by a player in his first career start over the last 30 seasons, trailing only Kareem Hunt (148) in 2017 and Cadillac Williams (148) in 2005.

In addition to averaging 5.2 yards per carry and recording three touchdowns and 967 yards from scrimmage with the Browns, Johnson also made an impact on special teams. He played over 140 special teams snaps in each of his four years with the Browns, including 200 snaps in 2022.

"I think in today’s game you’ve got to have two to three guys. They’ve got to be able to carry the load," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"You’re talking about a 18-week, 17-game schedule and the postseason. It’s wear and tear on guys. We haven’t seen enough of Snoop Conner (RB) yet either, but we like him. We know what JaMycal (RB JaMycal Hasty) can do. We obviously know what TJ, Etienne (RB Travis Etienne Jr.) can do. You’re always looking to have two, three, four guys that can work the rotation at any given time. The last thing I’ll say is I like him to play special teams as well, so that’s a big part of the, I think the impact of a running back is being able to play special teams."