Kevin Johnson feels like his best football is in front of him.
Johnson, a cornerback selected in the first round by the Houston Texans in 2015, has only played a full 16-game season twice in his career. Injuries have hampered his development — he dealt with foot injuries and concussions in the last four seasons — but that's why Johnson still believes his best season has yet to come.
"It was a lot for me," Johnson said Monday in a video call with local reporters. "It was hard for me to adjust to what was going on, but through it all, I feel like it made me mentally stronger."
Johnson made a step in the right direction last year with the Buffalo Bills, where he played in 16 games for the first time since his rookie season and made 36 tackles. The Browns gave him a chance to build on a productive — and healthy — season with a one-year deal, and Johnson is confident that he'll take another positive step in Cleveland.
"I liked the new coaching staff, and this team has a ton of talent," Johnson said. "I feel like I have a chip on my shoulder. I just want to be the player I want to be."
Johnson has done everything he can to prove to Browns coaches that, yes, his best football still is in front of him. He's been arguably the flashiest defensive player thus far and followed up an interception on Day 1 of practice with a few pass deflections on Day 2.
The competition for roles behind Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams, the two presumed starters, is wide open. Johnson has ample experience as a slot corner, but he's making an early case for an even bigger role early in camp.
Wherever he goes, Johnson is confident he'll make the most of it.
"I'll play wherever they want me to play," Johnson said. "Inside or outside, wherever that may be. I'm here to put my best foot forward and do whatever they ask me to do to the best of my ability."
-Olivier Vernon has spent eight seasons going against some of the best tackles in football.
In training camp, he'll take plenty of reps against Jedrick Wills Jr., the Browns' first-round draft pick who's currently undergoing a transition from right to left tackle.
Wills' comfortability and success at the position will be important for how strong the Browns' offensive line will be in 2020, and Vernon, who's faced Wills on the first two days of team practices, believes Wills has the skills to be a stud.
"He's putting the work in," Vernon said. "He's just trying to get better technique wise. It's going to be a fast learning curve for him. All he can do right now is soak in what he can. The sky's the limit for him."
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August 18, 2020 at 02:34AM
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News & Notes: Kevin Johnson believes his best season is still ahead of him in first season in Cleveland - clevelandbrowns.com
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