Cut or Keep Chris Johnson?

[steelcityroller]

It is something that has come up this last week even more because the Titans have until February 9th to decide on cutting or keeping Chris Johnson.

I believe they should part ways and focus on the future of the franchise.

(1) His production doesn't match his pay or even come close. He is making $10 million this year and whether you blame coaching, the team or Chris Johnson the Titans aren't getting a return on that money. Why keep paying top notch money for average pay?

(2) In the NFL running backs have a very short career span and this is true even more for speed backs like Chris Johnson. There are several proven statistical barriers where running backs pretty much hit the wall. Those are being 30 years old and having over 2,400 touches. Chris Johnson is gonna be 28 years old and has 1,700 touches. Do the math there and he likely only has 2 more seasons before hitting that wall and he has already been declining.

(3) The Titans are several seasons away from being contenders. So by the time they reach that point Chris Johnson will be done. So why not go out and sign some younger guys who will be with this team for the future. Chris Johnson said it himself on Friday that he feels the Titans are very far away likely several seasons away from being a Super Bowl team.

So why pay Chris Johnson $10 million when they can release him and use that money to go out and sign a younger Pro Bowl caliber player like a Andy Levitre?

[killthesux]

Cut him, hes more of a nuisance than an asset

[steelcityroller]

He is a very good player. I just think that he isn't worth his contract anymore. That and this team has too many other holes are every down positions like both sides of the line. The bottom line is that in this league having an elite running back is a luxury and not a necessity. Its a passing league.

[McFlurry]

I said cut him, if he would take a paycut I would love him to still be here. He's a good runningback but that contract is just to high. I could see somewhere between the 6-7 mil, I think I would feel comfortable with that. I agree with steelcity though that it would be easier to just let him go and help out with the rebilding process.

[myestro4life]

I voted for "ask him to take a pay cut", because that is ideally what I'd like to happen. Of course, if he's not in favor of it, then cut him. I don't know details of his contract, i.e. a no trade clause or something like that. I'd be more for trading, because even just a 3rd round pick would be something in return, as opposed to flat out releasing him. But, if the terms of his deal don't allow that, then cutting is the option.

The only thing wrong with the pay cut though, is the front office would probably just take the money saved and sit on it, instead of signing some players that can help this team.

[steelcityroller]

I highly doubt he would take a pay cut and nobody is gonna trade for him and take on that contract.

[myestro4life]

I highly doubt he would too, but I said ideally. So, I fail to see why you included it as an option, if you felt the need to say that you doubt he'd take a pay cut. Makes no sense to me.

[steelcityroller]

I highly doubt he would too, but I said ideally. So, I fail to see why you included it as an option, if you felt the need to say that you doubt he'd take a pay cut. Makes no sense to me.

That is a good point just wanted more options I guess

[boy_coy16]

So we are going to Cut 80% of our Offense??????? and get who to run the ball?????

[steelcityroller]

So we are going to Cut 80% of our Offense??????? and get who to run the ball?????

He had half of his yards in 4 games. There were 8 games that he had less than 60 yards. He busted a handful of long runs that saved his stats from looking like **** You take away his 5 longest runs and he only had 800 yards and 3 yards per carry..... Think about that he had +400 yards on 5 carries and 800 yards on the other 271 carries. His running back rating has gone down 4 years in a row. If you want to blame the offensive line his amount of broken and missed tackles have gone down for 4 years in a row. He is on the decline.

Not only that but the Titans threw the ball 550 times for 3500 yards in 2012. The league has changed to a passing league. Chris Johnson was about 30% of the Titans offense and done nothing in the games that mattered. I'm not impressed when you go for 200 yards against the Bills and then disappear in the tough games.

Running backs are a dime a dozen in the draft if you have a good offensive line.

[McFlurry]

Not to mention with the money they would save, they could sign 2 capable guys and have some money left over. Acutally if history says anything about Bud Adams then they let CJ go, sign some backup, draft a guy in the 6th round and keep the rest of the money and not do anything with it. So I change my decision to I dont care anymore.

[boy_coy16]

Actually check the facts Titans completed 315 passes and CJ ran 276 times and caught 36 passes...... so 315 to 312...... he is about 49.5% of our offense... and you cant run the ball if you cant throw.... when there is 7 guys in the box have fun running, defense were daring Locker to throw.

[steelcityroller]

Actually check the facts Titans completed 315 passes and CJ ran 276 times and caught 36 passes...... so 315 to 312...... he is about 49.5% of our offense... and you cant run the ball if you cant throw.... when there is 7 guys in the box have fun running, defense were daring Locker to throw.

I go by yardage. They don't rank teams by how many plays they run they rank them by how many yards they gain. Chris Johnson had 1200 yards and the Quarterbacks had 3500 yards. Not even close.

As I stated above Chris Johnson's numbers have down down in every aspect of the game. His open-field running ability has gone down as well. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the 48th running back in the league in open-field running which takes into account what they do after getting past the line. That should be where Chris Johnson excels and yet he had one of the lowest rates of missed/broken tackles in the league and yards after contact are pretty much nonexistent.

[boy_coy16]

So he touches the ball about 50% of the time and he is only 30%.I guess but if you wanna cut anyone cut LOCKER he sucks.... they have the Offensive Talent to be good. I rather them start Hasselbeck

[steelcityroller]

So he touches the ball about 50% of the time and he is only 30%.I guess but if you wanna cut anyone cut LOCKER he sucks.... they have the Offensive Talent to be good. I rather them start Hasselbeck

I'm leaning that way on Locker as well. I think that this year is make or break for Locker and Munchak. People are quick to say give Locker time but that is harder and harder to accept when you see 10-12 starting quarterbacks currently in the league lighting it up with the same or even less experience in the league.