The Case for Keeping Tennessee Titans Running Back Chris Johnson
By Matt Ward
Dec 17, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) greets New York Jets running back Shonn Green (23) after a game at LP Field. The Titans beat the Jets 14-10. Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Depth Chart
The Titans currently have Johnson and Shonn Greene on the roster at running back. Cutting Chris Johnson would leave Greene as the sole running back on the roster. While the Titans have time to hunt for new options via free agency and the draft, there is inherent risk.
Quality free agents do not usually come cheap, and there is no guarantee that their talent will translate into a new offense immediately. An extreme case of this is when the Colts traded their 2014 1st round draft pick for Trent Richardson, and he never seemed to assimilate very well into that offense.
As it pertains to the draft, the Titans should be drafting a running back no matter the fate of Johnson. Rookies normally struggle at pass protection in their first year, so drafting a rookie to start could potentially be disastrous.
With the state of the current depth chart, it makes sense to have Greene paired with another experienced veteran and a rookie behind them honing his skills. Johnson is the best veteran available when comparing him to the current free agent list.