Chris Johnson/Titans Contract Talks at Standstill
Time is running out before training camp as Chris Johnson is in search of a new long-term deal with the Tennessee Titans.
Johnson currently has three years remaining on his rookie contract and he is only set to make $550 000 this season. The Pro-Bowl running back rightfully feels that he deserves more as he rushed for over 2000 yards this past season and broke Marshall Faulk’s yards-from-scrimmage record with 2,509.
He was also named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year and he feels that he should be paid like one. He is currently making the least amount of money out of anyone on the offense and that just isn’t right considering what he means to the Titans.
Last season could have simply been disastrous without CJ for the Tennessee Titans. The team already started off 0-6 but managed to finish strong going 8-2 in their last 10 games to finish at .500. Without Johnson though, Vince Young would probably not have had the steady second half of the season that he had and without any major threat on offence besides Johnson, the team would’ve been near the league’s basement.
Johnson is seeking a long-term contract in which he wants to be the highest-paid offensive player in the league, with $30 million guaranteed. Such a deal would be difficult to do as a new CBA agreement still hasn’t been worked out in the league. The current CBA agreement does not allow a pay increase of more than 30% for a player in his rookie tender. Johnson has stated that he’s willing to compromise with the team and go with a short-term contract fix until things are clearer next season.
"I'm letting my agent and the team handle that," Johnson said. "Right now we're at a standstill, and hopefully when camp starts, we'll have an outcome."
Johnson has already skipped all of the team’s offseason workouts and has said he’s considered holding out training camp until a new deal is reached.
The Titans cannot afford for Johnson to hold out. He is the team’s biggest star and while many still see Vince Young as the franchise player, CJ is the one who in two seasons has already set records and is their biggest threat on offense. The Titans hopes of bouncing back from an inconsistent 2009 season will depend on Johnson’s production.
The team is undergoing a youth movement on defence, they don’t have proven threats at wide receiver and there are still question marks surrounding Vince Young’s ability to lead the team.
One thing that is certain though is that Johnson was the MVP of the team last year and they need him badly. The Titans have to do what it takes to get him back in uniform.
The team really has to get this sorted out fast. Young is hopeful that Chris Johnson will be back for training camp: “I am pretty sure he’ll (be here)," Young told the Tennessean. "He has to pay his bills.’’
Vince Young certainly will need him as the duo proved last season that they are a dangerous tandem in the backfield. The Titans offense will need that tandem intact this season if they are to return to the postseason.
They play in a tough AFC South division in which they have to face the Indianapolis Colts twice a year. In order to contend in this division you need all hands on deck and the Titans have to realize that Johnson was a major reason they were even competing last year and they can’t look at Johnson in the face and say he deserves to have the lowest salary on the offence.
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