Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
The Tennessee Titans are a team that is more than one player away from reaching the Super Bowl so cutting ties with Chris Johnson makes all the sense in the world.
I believe that CJ is a top shelf running back, the face of the franchise, our only offensive playmaker, and a weapon anywhere on the field. So why do I think the Titans should cut ties with one of the best playmakers in the league? Gimme a few minutes of your time and I’ll tell you.
While CJ is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball, he is also prone to losing yards. In an offense where you have a young QB, losing yards on first down and consistently putting your team behind the chains is a recipe for disaster. Sure there could be better playcalling, and better lineman, but there could also be less dancing. There could also be a bigger back that simply falls forward almost always.
The argument that CJ is the face of the franchise and there is no way we can cut him because of that is pretty childish. First and foremost, this is a business, make no mistake about it. If I remember correctly, Steve McNair was the face of the franchise also and the Titans locked him out of the building. Did fans stop watching the Titans when they did that to McNair? What about Eddie George? He was the face of the franchise and he got cut. Why? Because it was a good business decision.
Shaving nine million off of our salary cap money is a good business decision that will help this team rebuild for the future. With nine million extra, you may not have one great RB, but you can easily get two good O linemen and two good RBs. That’s four players for the price of one…on a team that is rebuilding.
Johnson is 27 now, will we be able to win a championship in two years? If the answer is no then you’re talking about having a 29 year old Chris Johnson who simply will not get any faster and most certainly will be a lot less dangerous than he is now. Chris Johnson has said it himself that he simply can’t even imagine the Titans being very good right now, so why should you as a fan? This guy plays on the team that you root for and he is saying that they are not very good. What makes you think he is lying?
Look, the long runs are nice, the records are awesome, and he, quite simply, is amazing to watch play the game of football. However, if you are really trying to rebuild your team and build a team that will compete consistently, it would be in the best interest of the organization to cut Chris Johnson.
What say you?
Shawn Eagle
You can follow me on twitter @RS1Eagle