This is a bigger issue that goes into how owner and player relations are changing all over the NFL. Antonio Brown has Rosenhaus as his representation, and he just forced himself off the Steelers, who have an ownership that is considered amongst the easiest to work with for player and agent concerns. Three years ago, GMs would look over at a trade request from a well paid starter, chuckle, and wait for the player to end their costly holdout. Is Johnson going to do that or play a LeVeon Bell type of hand? Things are changing, and Rosenhaus works with players who have a star mentality.
I'm not disagreeing with what type of player Duke Johnson is on the field. I have put White out there for a while, along with players like Tevin Coleman and Jerrick McKinnon. Offenses who are ahead of the curve love running backs who play the pass game like Duke Johnson... but along with all those players I just listed, are they underutilized or is that what they provide?
I guess that is the part I disagree with you on. What Duke Johnson provides has been fairly consistent if the quarterback was good or bad, the offensive line was good or bad, the play calling was good or bad. Poop Dick just keeps pulling himself out - chuckle - after bigger plays, and seems to put limits on himself for wear and tear on the more physically taxing jobs of an NFL running back. I feel that's why Dorsey and Kitchens are looking ahead a few months and seeing Duke Johnson elsewhere, despite what is said in the press. Jumping on Hunt and giving a role to Hilliard definitely makes a statement on Duke's ability to provide availability from play to play.