Chris Johnson is the best running back in the NFL. He's one of the best offensive players in the game, and he's certainly one of the best players in all of football. And yet, he is due to make to just $550,000 in 2010. Does that seem fair to you?
Johnson, the 24th pick in the 2008 draft by the Tennessee Titans, signed a 5-year, $12 million contract when he entered the league. He burst onto the scene with a 1,228 yard season on the ground, sharing carries with LenDale White in the process. Last season, he became just the sixth player in league history to rush for 2,000 or more yards in a season -- he finished with 2,006 -- and he broke Marshall Faulk's single-season yards from scrimmage record as well. Without him, the Titans wouldn't have won many games in 2009. They will have a hard time winning games going forward as well. Which is why Johnson deserves to be paid, immediately.
The elusive running back is holding out of voluntary practices and is threatening to hold out of training camp as well. And it's hard to blame him. Running backs have a short shelf-life in the NFL, especially when they are getting as many carries as Johnson has gotten and likely will continue to receive. Most running backs begin their fall from grace around the age of 30. Signing a third contract is anything but a guarantee, which is why that second contract is so important to get. It's just as important to get it now, when Johnson, 25, is at his best.
Unfortunately for Johnson, there are a few things that make it difficult for the Titans to give him a raise. The biggest obstacle is getting around the 30 percent rule, which does not allow a player's salary to increase by more than 30 percent during an uncapped year. A 30 percent increase in Johnson's 2010 salary would be roughly $1.6 million, which is not close to what he deserves. Despite the 30 percent rule, the San Francisco 49ers were able to give star linebacker Patrick Willis a new contract. That contract contains multiple signing bonuses, which is the only real way to get around the rule. For the Titans, paying Johnson $50 million in signing bonus money would be a large financial commitment that could strap them in signing other players down the road.
The Titans are a smart franchise. Owner Bud Adams, general manager Mike Reinfeldt and head coach Jeff Fisher know what it takes to win in the NFL. They should realize that Johnson is a rare talent, and should be paid as such. A player like Johnson doesn't come around every day. He has remarkable speed, feet, vision, toughness -- everything that makes a great running back. Should the Titans get into playoff contention this season, which is a good bet, Johnson will become a key factor. Teams can throw the ball all they want, but the running game is what really wins late in the season and in the playoffs. Johnson has the ability to steal the show in December and January, and the Adams certainly wants to see him wearing while a Titans uniform while doing so.
Financial consequences be damned, Chris Johnson must be given a contract worthy of his talents.
It's time for the Titans to pay the man.
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