Earlier in the offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars moved on from several players the past regime brought in. Most of them have already found a new team, and one of them could even make the Jags regret giving up on him. Having said that, a few of them are still looking for a new home, and it's a bit surprising that one in particular, running back D'Ernest Johnson, has yet to get a job even though he most definitely deserves a look.
An undrafted free agent in 2018, Johnson had to play with the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football before he landed with the Cleveland Browns in 2019. While he didn't get much playing time behind Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, he made the most of his chances, toting the rock 141 times for 738 yards with three touchdowns.
After four seasons with the Browns, the Immokalee, Florida native signed with the Jags in 2023. Although he was No. 3 on the depth chart, he came through when called upon, logging 248 yards from scrimmage on 51 touchdowns. Having shown his value, Johnson signed a one-year deal to remain in Jacksonville in 2024.
Unfortunately, the 2024 season was one Johnson and pretty much every Jaguars player would surely like to forget. The former South Florida Bull will be mostly remembered because he failed to reel in a pass in a wheel route against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9 that could've put Jacksonville on top. Granted, the coaching staff dialed up the worst imaginable play, and the throw Trevor Lawrence made wasn't his best. Nevertheless, he failed to deliver when called upon.
On the other hand, not everything was doom and gloom for Johnson in 2024. He had a pair of catches that went for more than 20 yards. Heck, you could even make the case that he would've been more productive if the offensive line could actually block. In fact, he wasn't the only Jaguars running back who struggled. Travis Etienne's and Tank Bigsby's stat lines would've looked much better if they had where the run.
But despite his pass-catching skills out of the backfield, the new regime didn't think Johnson fit its vision, so they moved on from him.
Why former Jaguars RB D'Ernest Johnson deserves at least a training camp invite
After letting D'Ernest Johnson hit the open market, the Jacksonville Jaguars used fourth and seventh-round picks on Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen. When you factor in that Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby are still around, it's hard to see the team's brass bringing Johnson back at any point. That said, he deserves a shot, and he could most definitely contribute as a receiving back for several teams.
The Chicago Bears would most definitely be a viable destination for Johnson. Gene Chamberlain of Sports Illustrated named him as a potential free agent who could bolster their backfield. Similarly, the veteran running back could be a fine No. 3 for several clubs who are in need of depth at the position.
It's also worth considering that Johnson only has 214 career carries, so he doesn't have much tread on the tires. Couple that with the fact that he's 29, and he still has some football left in him.
Maybe if a club suffers an injury in training camp, D'Ernest Johnson deserves a shot. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen, but he certainly deserves a shot to prove himself.