Mike Pettine on Duke Johnson's hamstring: 'He'll have a lot of catch up work to do'

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine lamented the loss of rookie running back Duke Johnson to a pulled hamstring for awhile.

The Browns' third-round pick, Johnson pulled the hamstring Saturday in practice and will be sidelined for an unspecified length of time. But any amount of missed work is too much for a rookie in training camp.

"It's just disappointing that a guy that we're counting on to be a big part of what we do, to lose him at this formative time of what we're getting done, that's tough,'' said Pettine. "He'll have a lot of catch up work to do. We're making sure he gets all of those reps mentally. But there's no substitute for actual live reps."

Johnson also had a strained right hamstring during the NFL combine in February, which prevented him from lifting or running shuttles. He ran the 40, but in a disappointing 4.54. He recovered on his pro day, clocking back-to-back 4.47s.

In addition to Johnson, the following backs are also sidelined: Terrance West (calf), Glenn Winston (knee), and Luke Lundy (concussion). In addition, fullback Malcolm Johnson left Tuesday's practice with a shoulder injury and did not return.   

It's hard when the lineup is constantly being churned like the way it is. You want to be able to settle in at some point during camp. That's important because those guys are all young, they need their reps. When they're not out there that is a source of frustration.''

To make up for the injuries, the Browns signed reserve backs Timothy Flanders and Jalen Parmele, who both received plenty of reps Tuesday.


(cleveland.com)