Duke Johnson Reportedly Released by Texans After 2 Seasons with Houston

Duke Johnson's two-year run with the Houston Texans has reportedly come to an end. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Texans informed Johnson of his release on Friday. 

Former Texans head coach Bill O'Brien acquired Johnson from the Cleveland Browns in August 2019 in exchange for a conditional draft pick that wound up becoming a third-rounder. 

Johnson was effective in his first season with Houston, despite being the No. 2 running back behind Carlos Hyde. The Miami alum averaged 6.5 yards per touch and scored five touchdowns on 127 touches. 

Last season was the least-productive year of Johnson's career. He averaged a career-low 3.1 yards per carry and had 484 yards from scrimmage in 11 games. The 27-year-old dealt with a sprained ankle and neck injury in 2020. 

The Browns originally drafted Johnson in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft. He ran for 1,286 yards in 64 games with the team over four seasons. 

Johnson's release leaves David Johnson as the primary running back on Houston's roster. Buddy Howell and Scottie Phillips are also on the depth chart.