ATLANTA -- Braves third baseman Chris Johnson gets to keep his dream job for another three years. Rod Langway Jersey . Atlanta was the team he cheered for while growing up in South Florida, and he idolized third baseman Chipper Jones. "In this game, not many times does a team tell a player they want him to be around for a really long time," Johnson said. "Im excited they feel that way about me and have the confidence in me to be around for a little while. Now I just want to work as hard as I can to prove theyre right." After agreeing to a $23.5 million, three-year deal announced Friday, Johnson is under contract through 2017. The 29-year-old was among the teams biggest surprises last season. A supposed throw-in to the Justin Upton trade, Johnson ranked second in the NL with a .321 average. He had 12 homers and 68 RBIs. His agreement continued Atlantas recent trend of signing a core of players to long-term deals. First baseman Freddie Freeman ($135 million over eight years), closer Craig Kimbrel ($42 million over four years), pitcher Julio Teheran ($32.4 million over six years) and shortstop Andrelton Simmons ($58 million over seven years) agreed to long-term deals before or during spring training, and right fielder Jason Heyward struck a $13.3 million, two-year deal. General manager Frank Wren said Johnsons agent approached the team early last month to see whether the sides could work out a new deal. Wren said the Braves arent placing unrealistic expectations on their third baseman. Johnson is off to a slow start, hitting .255 with one homer and four RBIs in 26 games. "I think what we saw last year -- maybe hes not going to hit .320, but weve always felt he was somewhere in the .280-.300 range as a hitter," Wren said. "His career will tell you that." In the first 304 games of his career with Houston and Arizona, Johnson hit .276 and averaged eight homers and 43 RBIs. "I think as we go forward," Wren said, "thats the kind of player he can be -- somewhere in that .285-.300 range -- and hit 10-15 home runs, drive in 70 and play solid third base." Johnson was part of the trade that brought Upton, a slugging left fielder, to Atlanta and sent fan favourite Martin Prado, pitcher Randall Delgado and three minor leaguers to Arizona on Jan. 24 last year. "Theres not many people that are going to be traded with him that arent going to be the other guy, " Johnson said. "But Im fine with that. Its good because it doesnt bother me really to be the other guy. It kind of gave me the fire to prove I need to be here and was not just a name in the trade." Johnson is making $4.75 million this season under a one-year deal. The agreement includes salaries of $6 million next year, $7.5 million in 2016 and $9 million in 2017. Atlanta has a $10 million option for 2018 with a $1 million buyout. Wren is grateful that Liberty Media, the Braves owner, has committed the money to keep another part of the core group together as the team prepares to move into a new ballpark in suburban Cobb County in 2017. "You have to be careful," Wren said. "You have to have that combination of players and especially what we did all winter was looking at really high level young talent that was either pre-arbitration or first-year arbitration and extending them. It fits into that mould." Johnson, who would have been eligible for free agency after the 2016 season, met Jones was he played for Stetson and Jones father Larry was an assistant coach with the school. Johnson never imagined he would replace Jones the year after the longtime Braves star retired after the 2012 season. "Its nuts," he said. "Its crazy. I cant believe it. Its awesome, but Im going to try to make sure I keep grinding and keep working and try to get better every day." 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Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NFL beat. Johnny Be Focused? Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine declared on Wednesday that Johnny Manziel needs to focus on football in order to have a chance to win the starting quarterback job. "I think he knows that in order for him to compete well, hes going to have to probably be more dedicated than ever," Pettine said via Tom Withers of the associated press. After a well-documented offseason, Manziel enters training camp behind incumbent Brian Hoyer at the quarterback position. The Browns report for training camp on Friday. Showing Up Injured Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart reported to training camp with a pulled hamstring and will miss the first one-to-two weeks of camp. Due to injury, Stewart appeared in only six games for the Panthers last season, rushing for 180 yards on 48 carries. Genos Job According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith took 13 first-team reps on Thursday compared to Michael Vicks four. Throughout the offseason, the starting quarterback position has been reported to be Genos to lose. Entering his sophomore season, Smith threw 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 16 games in 2013. Instant Starter? Eric Williams of ESPN reports that San Diego Chargers first-round pick Jason Verrett practiced at starting right cornerback on Thursday, while Richard Marshall lined up across from him. Free agent acquisition Brandon Flowers worked at left cornerback with the second team. The Chargers ranked fourth-worst in the NFL last season against the pass, averaging 258.7 yards allowed per game via the air. Riddickk in the Rotation? Kyle Meinke of MLive. John Carlson Jersey. com believes 2013 sixth-round draft pick Theo Riddick is a lock to make the Detroit Lions 53-man roster, while 2011 second-round pick Mikel Leshoure is on the roster bubble. Despite receiving only 13 offensive touches in his first year, Meinke notes that Riddick has drawn praise from both coaches and teammates this offseason. Meinke envisions Riddick filling a Darren Sproles-like type of role in the Lions offense and earning regular touches in the running back rotation. Leshoure faces an uphill battle to earn touches in the Lions offense. The 24-year-old played in just three games last season, receiving two carries for nine yards. He rushed for 798 yards on 215 carries with nine touchdowns in 2012. New Lead? Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle would be "surprised" if Maurice Jones-Drew was not the starting running back for the Oakland Raiders this season. Signed this offseason after spending eight seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones-Drew joins a backfield in Oakland that features former fourth-overall pick Darren McFadden, as well as Latavius Murray, Jeremy Stewart, rookie George Atkinson and former CFL standout Kory Sheets. Jones-Drew rushed for 803 yards on 234 carries in 15 games with the Jaguars in 2013. Exiting for Personal Reasons Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is expected to miss the first four days of training camp for personal reasons. Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that Thomas attended the teams camp-opening meeting but was then excused by coach John Fox to attend the funeral services of the grandmother who helped raise him in Georgia. Thomas led the Broncos with 92 catches for 1430 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2013. He also set a Super Bowl record with 13 catches in the Broncos loss to the Seattle Seahawks. 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