Why the Tennessee Titans Must Cut Chris Johnson This Offseason

So, it turns out Chris Johnson is that guy.

You know, the guy who stops trying after he gets paid. Every pundit warned against signing a running back to such a lucrative contract, but Titans fans begged and pleaded and Titans management caved.

$53 million over four years was a contract most felt he deserved, having led the NFL in rushing yards over the past three seasons.

But here we are headed toward Week 16 and Johnson is yet to break the 1,000-yard mark. To date, he is averaging a pedestrian 62 yards per game.

Take away the performances in a few games against the 25th-, 30th- and 29th-ranked rush defenses and you're left with less than half of the paltry yardage total he already has.

Instead what you see is what is fast becoming commonplace for Johnson, and that is flat-out nonexistent.

What CJ has done this season is no aberration—we began seeing signs of this lackadaisical effort last season.

In 2010, Titans fans were treated to feast-or-famine performances from Johnson with the split drawing even at eight apiece. CJ either took off for 111-plus yards or couldn't even break 67.

Fans hoped it was hamstring issues, and this season they hope it was just due to the long holdout and not being in shape.

But lets face it, Johnson's amazing home-run burst from 2009 is gone, and at $13 million a season can Tennessee afford to keep such an unreliable talent.

I say dump him after the season is over—and here's how. According to Jason La Canfora of NFL Network:

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Johnson has $17 million of his total of $30 million guaranteed, which currently is guaranteed for injury only. It's not guaranteed for skill (diminished production). Of that $17 million, $8 million does not convert to skill guarantee until the fifth day of the 2012 waiver period (early March). The remaining $9 million converts on fifth day of the 2013 waiver period.

So the Titans conceivably could release him for decline in skill—assuming he continues to struggle—after one season of the long-term extension and not owe him anything more beyond his $13 million in 2011 pay. Of course, it's highly likely the Titans will give Johnson at least another season and pay him $22 million over the first two years of the deal.

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As La Canfora says, having this scenario actually play out is highly unlikely, but at this point Johnson can't be trusted to be the Titans' workhorse.

Either someone else needs to be brought in to share the workload, creating a situation where entirely too much of the team's salary cap is spent on one position, or Johnson needs to be let go.

Running backs are a dime a dozen folks, lets face it. Heck, the Titans let one go in LeGarrette Blount a couple of years ago.

The NFL is a passing league now, and it's high time the Titans started spending their money accordingly.