Chris Johnson: Offensive holding

Image: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Running back Chris Johnson was officially released by the Titans six days ago, but he remains without a new contract and team in place. A report from Pro Football Talk stated that Johnson would not be working out for any potential teams, stating that the tape ‘should speak for itself’.

Johnson took to social media to deny those claims.

He would also help explain later why the process was/is taking longer than expected, by some.

So what can we infer from this?

Some possibilities (one or more may be applicable):

Johnson may be taking his time to field any offer(s) he has already received, thus hoping to draw the teams into a bidding war. This is probably the most realistic scenario.

The market is softer on Johnson than first reported, and he’s having a tough time finding a team where he can:

1) Be a feature back, or at least see a larger role in the offence.

2) Get paid more or equal to other FA RBs that have hit the market – Knowshon Moreno: one-year, three million; Maurice Jones-Drew: three-years, $7.5 million.

3) Get longer than a one-to-two year deal.

Finally, and this one is more of a stretch, it could be possible that Chris Johnson is ‘holding out’ to avoid some workouts, etc., the way some veteran free agents do. The disadvantage in that scenario is that teams have more time to examine possible draftee fits, and move on from the Johnson sweepstakes. This would especially be true if he’s not signed until post-draft.

Whatever the case, it’s hard for any fan to stay patient for NFL transactions to happen in a football-less time of year. Still: in Idzik I trust.

More on Johnson as a possible Jet: here.

Lmao idk where the media get there info from but none of the teams are asking me to workout. Y’all make me laugh

— Chris Johnson (@ChrisJohnson28) April 10, 2014