Chris Johnson gets new deal (Sort of)

by smileyman on Jul 19, 2010 3:46 PM PDT in Player Salaries

We've had quite a bit of discussion here about Chris Johnson's contract situation. Profootball Talk reports that he and the Titans reached a new deal today. The deal doesn't add any years to his current deal, nor does it add any money. Instead it moves $2.5 million in incentives from 2012 to 2010. Essentially it's a way for both sides to buy another year.

Adds Jason La Confora via Twitter:

The Titans reworked deal with Chris Johnson puts an extra few million in his pocket, and in essence buys the sides another year. The two remaining years - 2011 and 2012 are untouched. So CJ gets enough to play out 2010, but will still be seeking a longterm deal at season's end

I like the deal. I think it's a fair one for both sides, since CJ2K was only scheduled to make $550,000 this year (based on his rookie deal). This is a nice compromise in that it gives CJ2K another year to prove himself the best in the business, while buying time for both sides. Hopefully we'll have a new CBA in place by season's end so that the two sides can come to a new agreement without putting so much guaranteed money on the table.

It's a creative way to solve the problem and I have to give kudos to both sides for doing it.

As a reminder, here are Chris Johnson's stats since entering the league:

Career Statsmore
Season	Team			Rushing					Receiving					Fumbles
Season	Team	G	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FUM	Lost
2009	Tennessee Titans	16	16	358	2,006	5.6	91T	14	50	503	10.1	69T	2	3	3
2008	Tennessee Titans	15	14	251	1,228	4.9	66T	9	43	260	6.0	25	1	1	1
TOTAL				609	3,234	5.3	91	23	93	763	8.2	69	3	4	4

Poll

Assuming a new CBA gets done when will Chris Johnson and the Titans reach a long-term deal?

2010

14 votes

2011

83 votes

2012

12 votes

2013

2 votes

Never

37 votes

148 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Ok so basically in he was making
2008: 3,025,010
2009: 4,249,680
And now He would only be making 550,000 this year before the reworked deal.
So basically hes taking a loan against future incentive monies:

Sounds like someone got a taste of the rich life, spending a wee bit much, then came this year where he won’t be able to keep up that lifestyle. What happens next year or the year after if he is just making base salary and no bonuses..Yeah you know it, he will be holding out for a new deal.

Does this guy deserve more..sure..Should the teams suffer because the guy decides he shouldn’t have to live up to what he signs..NO. Contracts in football are ridiculous because basically players get to throw a tantrum and get what they want (Most of the time). I thinks about time for rookie scale contracts that are 3-5 years low guaranteed money that have more in incentives interlaced between all three years. Stop front loading or back loading these contracts, and stop making the contracts negotiable when the athlete wants it to be. If a team feels you deserve a raise, then renegotiate..

That way when a guy Like Johnson, After 3 seasons of great football, can get a nice payday without having to wait too long either in FA or by extensions. Players are gonna know teams who are trying to be stingy and can choose not to sign there.

Founder of team Omté Caspeen

by Widowwolf on Jul 19, 2010 4:22 PM PDT reply actions

If you do a rookie scale

you have to make the maximum contract length 3 years.

No way can you let teams keep rookies on a deal for 5 years when they far outperform their rookie contract.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Jul 19, 2010 4:38 PM PDT up reply actions

What about the Alex Smith's of the future?

What we've got here is a failure to communicate.

"I'm just like you, but 10 times better"

by SportsChicken on Jul 19, 2010 5:14 PM PDT up reply actions

That's why you have a rookie cap

so you don’t overpay for the #1 overall pick.

I do get what you’re saying though—without a 5 year deal in place he would’ve been cut and probably would not be having the kind of comeback he saw last year and will likely have this season).

I’d make an exception to the three year limit for the top 10 picks.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Jul 19, 2010 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions

And with that exception comes more money

And we’re back to square one?

What we've got here is a failure to communicate.

"I'm just like you, but 10 times better"

by SportsChicken on Jul 20, 2010 2:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Agreed

It’s not the majority of rookie’s contracts that are problematic but that top “1%” that is problematic and causes undue ruptures and that is what needs to be addressed.

by ChesapeakeBay9er on Jul 20, 2010 2:39 AM PDT up reply actions

Here's how I'd do it

Rookie guaranteed money can be no more than 3x the guaranteed salary of a 10 year NFL vet. The maximum length of rookie deals can vary based on when drafted. Top 15 5 year deal maximum, rest of first round 4 year maximum, everybody else 3 year maximum.

After 3 years every rookie deal has an opt out clause for either side.

A club can put as much money into the deal as they want for incentives. You want to pay your #1 overall guy $45 million guaranteed? Fine, but you’d better write up the deal so that $40 million of it is based on incentives.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Jul 20, 2010 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions

Its all ''backwards'and its not going 2 get better espcially with this ''pitbull''who wants 2 see '''all the paper''

d the ’’commisioner’’acting like the ’’mafia’’saying we showed you ‘’all the pbutaper’‘why worry with the Xs n Os of it all,but i know its apart of the ’’game’’ev3en though some of it is kind of ’’shady’’on both sides.’’’J3_Libra_files’’

by 49er_diva_recieva's on Jul 19, 2010 5:59 PM PDT up reply actions

This team is ''cheap''they''ve always been cheap with whoever it is they fill with fisher they can draft players and

get them 4 the cheap they’’ve let talented players go who wanted 2 get paid in the past and at running bac i just don’t see it happening,unless ‘’jeff fisher’‘gets fired then i think they might but as long as he’s there in that same jeff fisher system he will get ’’nada’’.

by 49er_diva_recieva's on Jul 19, 2010 5:43 PM PDT up reply actions

If a team thinks a player is under-performing and overpaid they can cut him. If a player feels he’s underpaid and over-performing, “players get to throw a tantrum”. And the system is harsh to owners? The tantrum is all they get.

also, players don’t get a choice where they sign, they get drafted. Most players never get a contract beyond what they get then, so they don’t get to choose not to sign there.

The only thing Chris Johnson did to Bud Adams is the team that superior play won’t lead to superior pay, and mediocrity is just as effective AS ONE OF THE BEST SEASONS OF ALL TIME. #5 in fact. Better than Walter Payton or Emmit Smith’s best season. And this wasn’t a flash in the pan, Johnson had 1,228 last season. That would be frank gore’s second best season.

by hellaninersfan on Jul 19, 2010 10:58 PM PDT up reply actions

1228 rushing yards

almost 1500 total yards. Even if he regresses this next season you can still expect in the neighborhood of 1500-1700 total yards this season.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Jul 19, 2010 11:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Here is the issue, if they cut him; he is still owed the guaranteed monies. I don’t believe either side should be able to weasel out of a deal. But hey, if you are that horrible and a team doesn’t want you, so sorry but that means either A: You have 31 other teams to talk to about a job, or B: Maybe you weren’t cut out to play in the NFL.

While this team may be cheap, you are seeing this more and more by players and it’s not just gonna be 1%.The more salaries go up, the more the prices of tickets and parking are gonna go up..Soon enough you will have enough guys doing this that football will require a mortgage to go to for a game. People always ask why there is such a high price for all these items..There are reasons..Just look at the Packers situation where players salaries are way up and causing a loss. Things like this right here and because we don’t have Rookie scales are why this is happening. Now if we put that in place does it automatically make the games cheaper..Nope, but by allowing this in the past is why we are here today.

This is why we need Rookie scales for 3 years max with guaranteed money and incentives/Signing bonus based money.. Like Smileyman was talking about. The incentives can be no more then lets say 3x max vet pay scale per year that way people need to prove themselves before getting the big pay (Hello Jemarcus/Alex smith). At that point it’s up to the team they are signed with to keep that player based on his first three years. If they can’t get a deal by the end of those three years due to team stinginess , then the player becomes a free agent and while still can get paid while having years left to play the game.

I know people are gonna say what about those players who get injured and can’t play anymore..Well there are insurances for that kind of stuff and that’s also where your rookie salary and guaranteed money should come in handy. If I l hurt my back and can’t do my job anymore you think i am gonna get paid the rest of my life or into millions more dollars..No ..Well, every one of these players is a big boy and find some other work they can do if they can’t play football, just like i would need to do.

Founder of team Omté Caspeen

by Widowwolf on Jul 20, 2010 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm with the %13 who said '' No''the titans is one of the ''cheapest''teams in the NFL steve mcnair put (R.I.P)

his body thru ‘’allen iverson injries’‘’and some,and they steal didn’t want 2 give him a ‘’max contract’‘this team is real frugile with their paper.Look what he had 2 do jst 2 get some change that he shouldn’t even have 2 as 4 he’s the best in the game ’’’right now’’you can’t let him play with that contract his ’’ego’’wouldn’t let him play.

by 49er_diva_recieva's on Jul 19, 2010 5:10 PM PDT reply actions

I should mention

that Johnson’s contract ends in 2012 which means he’ll be a free agent in 2013. I do think that if a deal isn’t done by then it won’t ever get done.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Jul 19, 2010 5:26 PM PDT reply actions

Listening to him talk, he doesn’t deserve any money. He barely speaks english

Dashon, Mays, and Bamm Bamm will get the record for most decapitations in one season

by MichaelClutchtree on Jul 19, 2010 6:36 PM PDT reply actions

He’d probably be a bad bingo announcer, fortunately thats not what he’s trying to get paid for.

by hellaninersfan on Jul 19, 2010 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions

He's not getting paid to speak English

Our own Frank Gore is a terrible speaker.
He’s gotten better, but still…

What we've got here is a failure to communicate.

"I'm just like you, but 10 times better"

by SportsChicken on Jul 20, 2010 2:35 AM PDT up reply actions

We should also be cutting 49er_diva_recieva’s because of the way he types his stuff..that is just nonsense

Founder of team Omté Caspeen

by Widowwolf on Jul 20, 2010 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions

Nor are the Titans being generous

The significance to the Titans of shifting $2.5M from 2012 to 2010, an uncapped year, should not be lost on anyone here—-an extra $2.5M under the cap for 2012 “for free”. Generous???

by seafood lover on Jul 20, 2010 4:56 PM PDT reply actions