Today marks the beginning of the NFL Preseason and still Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson hasn’t reported to camp. His situation is well-documented and simple. Johnson will eventually get paid by the Titans because he’s the main attraction in Tennessee and an integral part of their offense. Additionally, he also happens to be the best running back in the league. So for him to be making just around 1 million a year is unacceptable. The Titans seem like they are ready to give CJ2K a new deal, but they do want him in camp at the same time.
Judging by the comments made by Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt today, it seems as if the two sides are close to a deal:
“Even though he has two years left on his contract, we’d like him to go in,” Reinfeldt said. “He could go to meetings, get to know the new coaches, he can learn the scheme. He doesn’t have to practice, but it’s something we want to get done.
“Again, we’re willing to make him the highest-paid running back in the history of the NFL. That’s kind of where we are.”‘
However, Chris Johnson himself says that the Titans intentions to make him the highest paid running back is “news to him”…
Hopefully, CJ gets the deal he is looking for because the Titans need him to be in camp in order to get up to speed with the new system under first-year head coach Mike Munchak.
Personally, I feel like a deal is very close and Johnson is about to get seriously paid.
The Titans will definitely be needing a lot of this in 2011.