The Facts:
Most of the buzz surrounding Johnson has centered on whether the Titans want him back in 2014. The running back, who is under contract and scheduled to make $8 million next season, added a different twist Tuesday. If the Titans don’t plan on giving him a bigger role under their next head coach, Johnson said he’d rather be elsewhere. “I feel like if they are not going to use me the way I am supposed to be used and let me be the horse, then I would rather them let me move on," he said.
Reported by the Nashville Tennessean
Fantasy Football Diehards Line:
The three-time Pro Bowler made $10 million this season while rushing for 1,077 yards, the second-lowest total of his six-year career. Without commenting on the recently-fired coaching staff, Johnson said he feels underutilized and that he wants to get back to the 300-carry range. He had 279 carries this season, his highest total since 316 in 2010. According to Tennessean staffer Jim Wyatt, it seems unlikely the Titans would bring Johnson back for 2014 at his scheduled $8 million, and recently he said he wouldn’t take a pay cut. His production hasn’t been the same since he rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009. He followed that up with a 1,364-yard season, but then posted 1,047 yards (2011) and 1,243 yards (2012). This season he averaged 3.9 yards per carry, the lowest of his career. He had only two 100-yard games in 2013, with one of those in the season finale against the Texans. His longest run of the season was just 30 yards. He often rotated with Shonn Greene, but wants to be used the way other teams use their RBs, pointing to Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles, Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy, Chicago’s Matt Forte and Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson. Seems like that won't be in Tennessee, but the new coaching staff will have something to say about it.
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