A few hours after Duke Johnson expressed a desire to play elsewhere, Freddie Kitchens had his arm wrapped around him in the middle of the Browns practice fields.
Asked if there was a deeper meaning behind the conversation and interaction, Kitchens cracked a smile and delivered one of his trademark quips.
"No," Kitchens said, "I just like giving hugs."
Check out photos of the first day of Browns minicamp
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Guard Eric Kush (72) and Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive end Chris Smith (50), Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) and Runningback Duke Johnson Jr. (29) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
D'Ernest Johnson (30) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Cornerback Lenzy Pipkins (41) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive end Anthony Zettel (97) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Offensive tackle Greg Robinson (78) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) and Head Coach Freddie Kitchens during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide Receiver Ishmael Hyman (16) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery (83) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Jaelen Strong (10) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Linebacker Joe Schobert (53) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Punter Britton Colquitt (4) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Center Kyle Kalis (68) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27), Running Back Nick Chubb (24) and Running Back Duke Johnson Jr. (29) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Safety Jermaine Whitehead (35) and Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Linebacker Joe Schobert (53) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong (52) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Safety Eric Murray (22) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong (52) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Dorian Baker (19) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Tight end Stephen Carlson (89) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80), Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) and Safety Damarious Randall (23) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Offensive tackle Kendall Lamm (70) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive tackle Brian Price (91) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Runningback Duke Johnson Jr. (29) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery (83) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Tight end Stephen Carlson (89) and Center Willie Wright (66) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Kicker Austin Seibert (2) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Defensive end Chris Smith (50) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during the first day of minicamp on June 4, 2019.
Kitchens reiterated what he's said repeatedly in the wake of reports about Johnson's desire to be traded. Johnson publicly expressing those desires for the first time Tuesday didn't change a thing.
Kitchens expects Johnson to be with the Browns this season and expects him to have a significant role on an offense loaded with playmakers at all of the skill positions.
"Duke practiced today and he practiced hard," Kitchens said. "I expect Duke to be a professional and I think he will be. He's never been anything but a professional. Whatever his personal feelings are, those are his personal feelings. I'm not going to dictate someone's feelings. Just like I told you about other players in the past, whatever their feelings are, they're free to voice whatever they want to say.
"Duke's a part of the team. All of the other stuff is just hyperbole.
Johnson did not participate in any of the team's offseason workout activities, which were voluntary, until Tuesday -- the start of mandatory minicamp.
"Duke is a Cleveland Brown," Kitchens said. "It's mandatory now. He's here. Before it was not mandatory, so he didn't have to be here. But he's here now. He's a part of the team, we're going to have a plan for Duke and I expect him to have a good year."
Johnson, who is entering his fifth season, is one year removed from signing a contract extension. The former third-round pick is coming off a 2018 campaign in which he rushed for a 201 yards and caught 47 passes for 429 yards and three touchdowns. For his career, Johnson has 1,286 rushing yards, 235 receptions, 2,170 receiving yards and a combined 13 touchdowns.
"I won't be causing scenes and losing focus on what's really important," Johnson said. "I won't do that, and the reason I waited until now to do a media interview is because I didn't want to take away from the team while I was home and not here. So, I waited until I got here to do an interview because I didn't want to be a distraction."
Despite the trade request, Johnson maintained he'd be a professional while practicing and playing for the Browns.
"It's about being a professional," he said. "There's a lot of things at your job that you don't like and you're not happy with, but that doesn't mean you don't do your job. You still do your job."
