There is no doubt that Larry Johnson was the second-best running back behind LaDainian Tomlinson over the last two seasons. Johnson isn’t in training camp with Kansas City because he wants to be paid like Tomlinson and wants his $1.7 million base contract torn up. The Chiefs will give him a raise, maybe, but they will never give him the $28 million in guarantees that Tomlinson received.
I don’t see how Johnson’s holdout – apparently he listens a lot to his mother – comes to a satisfactory conclusion because Chiefs President Carl Peterson is pretty stubborn and firmly believes that no other team would give Johnson that kind of bonus money, either.
The Chiefs might go halfway with L.J., but there are reports that Coach Herm Edwards wouldn’t mind trading him, believing the holdout distraction is not worth the aggravation. And if Johnson waits until the 10th game in order to get credit for this season, you can bet that next year the Chiefs will slap the franchise tag on him if they negotiate a fair contract.
Translation: he may never receive what he thinks he deserves out of the Chiefs.
No one knows whether Priest Holmes can really replace Johnson until he plays in a preseason game and displays his old magic. The Chiefs are taking a very hard-line stance on Johnson, and without him it won’t matter who the starting quarterback is. KC won’t win.
Packer prediction
The Packers were the 11th team I’ve seen this summer and I must say that their starting cornerbacks, Al Harris and Charles Woodson, may be the two most engaging players on the same team that I’ve met in a long time. Both veterans are great talkers and know the game. Both also played at a very high level last season, even though Woodson was hurt in 10 of his 16 starts. Another thing, they like small town Green Bay and their fans.
White or black, “we’re all in the same boat,” Harris said. “There aren’t a lot of things to do. But our fans love their Packers and they love football. They are better fans than those in Philadelphia. I mean some of their fans rented a bus simply to go boo Donovan McNabb on one of his biggest days of his life when he was drafted in the first round.”
But Harris made a bold statement to me. Harris said second-year safety Atari Bigby reminds him of Brian Dawkins, the Eagles’ All-Pro. Harris thinks Bigby, who is working on the second team right now, can be that good.
“I really like him, too,” Woodson said of Bigby. “Keep an eye on him. You’ll see what we like when the (game) lights come on.”
Bears won’t deal Orton
Kyle Orton, who won 10 games as a rookie quarterback, is now third on the depth chart behind Rex Grossman and Brian Griese. And he’s a quarterback that the Falcons are keeping an eye on just in case Joey Harrington busts out. But the word in Chicago is that Orton isn’t available at any price. “If we wanted to do something like that, we never would have allowed J.T. O’Sullivan to end up in Detroit,” said one Chicago insider.
We all know that Chicago has never had the greatest quarterback situation, but the front office likes these three players and won’t make a deal with the team on a Super Bowl mission. Another thing to consider is that Rex Grossman is in the final year of his contract.
Bucs to collect?
Tampa Bay has filed its grievance against quarterback Jake Plummer to recoup $7 million in signing bonus money that the Broncos paid him. It is an odd situation, but the Bucs technically view Plummer as a holdout because they did trade a seventh-round pick to Denver for his rights. And when team acquires a player’s rights, they technically are obligated to the terms of that player’s contract. This is why it’s the Bucs, not the Broncos, seeking the money.
The Bucs believe they will eventually get the money from Plummer, who claims he’s retired. Remember, if Plummer would actually change his mind and play for the Bucs, they owe Denver a fourth-round pick.
Bulletin board stuff
Todd Monken developed a few NFL receivers while coaching at LSU and now he’s a first-year assistant for Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville. He really likes Mike Walker, a third-round pick out of Central Florida. The Jags play the Saints this season and Monken started to make some comparisons.
“When Joe Horn went down, the Saints had (Devery) Henderson. What was that other guy’s name? Colston, Goldston (rookie Marques Colston). You can’t tell me Mike Walker is not as good as that guy Goldston or Colston. And they had a good quarterback and had explosive guys and just put them in the right spots to make it work. Why can’t we do that?’’
Colston, a seventh-round pick last year, is billed as the Saints’ No. 1 receiver. Meanwhile, the Jaguars former first-round picks at the position – Matt Jones and Reggie Williams – continue to struggle. Jones has another sore hamstring while Williams is listed as third team on the depth chart.
“It is what it is. Guys take reps based on where they’re at. If they (Williams and Jones) can’t figure (it) out, you can’t paint more of a vivid picture,’’ Monken said. “It’s time for Reggie and Matt to do it. If not now, when?’’
Every kid’s favorite
Hats off to Tennessee quarterback Vince Young, who takes plenty of time to sign autographs after practices. But what was really impressive was when it was Young’s official team day to sign, hundreds of kids showed.
Young signed for everyone, spending more than an hour.
Just pay L.J. He should be making more. He is the 2nd best RB in the league. Gets paid like an average Joe "As for as pro athlete's go". Not the kind of Joe money i make lol. K.C. dont have a snowballs chance in He ll without L.J. even with him they dont have much of one.
Dude a writer with 20 years of Experince u sound like u been in the game for about 20 days. Should really do your research b4 u start writing Articals. Referance to Kansas City Got a good rookie back and Mike Bennent and Preist so that is a good reason to let LJ go especially after the season he had he is all washed up and will never have a season like that again especially since he doesnt have a offensive line anymore after they retired over the past two years. LJ is no LT that is for sure so he will never see that kind of money....
I'm not a K.C. fan, But you guys have to love watching L.J. run people over. He's great to watch i want him out there this year. Sign him up K.C. Just tell me you dont love old Earl Campbell highlights it's the same thing watching L.J. now. He probably dont have many years left with that running style so i want to watch him all i can.
Im sick of these athletes signing contracts that they refuse to live up to and I'd love to find out which #### team and player started this trend of renegotiating contracts, because look at what it has done! These spoiled rotten athletes demand these long-term contracts and then become unhappy halfway through when they believe they're getting underpaid. Take a hint morons- If you think you're being paid below your market value- DONT SIGN THE MOTHER F'ING CONTRACT!!!
Bravo to the Chiefs for standing their ground and not letting yet another spoiled rotten self absorbed punk take them hostage and I hope they continue to refuse. I think they'll be fine with Priest Holmes and Michael Bennett and then they can draft someone else next year. Hold on to LJ for the whole term of the current contract and don't pay him a dime more!
LJ I have not been very happy with you and I have posted several comments about me seeing you downtown getting f'd up when you should have to be at practice the next day, but the thing is this. Your fans here are losing faith in you and all you have to do is grow up. I heard through the grape vine (my good friend and one of your trainers) that last week we offered you a contract worth about 22 mill. I think that is about all you are worth right now. We love you and still want you to play for us but come on man. Quit ####en and enjoying your time off and come to work. The NFL does not need anymore bad boy show offs, but some real role models. I'll say this one more time and I'm shure that Herm has told you this plenty of times. "YOU PLAY TO PLAY AND PLAY TO WIN" that's it. If you are a high caliber player the only thing that should concern you is getting a rock!
Tallman---- YOU ARE SO RIGHT! I was under the impression that a contract was just that...A F-ing CONTRACT!!! How can you renegotiate it if all parties agree at signing? Wish it was like that in other arenas. F LJ, he is no LT, good, but not great! Some other team will give him more money, but not LT loot, that's for damn sure!
without LJ, the chiefs just will not make it in the AFC west. He carries quite a big load out there. He has single handely won games for that team and he makes 1.7 million? He deserves more. But maybe they should just trade him to the broncos. I think that would be quite nice.
If a player is willing to sacrifice his "fair pay" who are u to say he is wrong? If a team doesnt want to pay an amount they agree upon, they can cut the player and not pay him. A player has that same option. If he doesnt want to play, he can sit out until week 10, then play for the agreed upon amount
LJ has no loyalty to KC he is just a money hungry ahole. He has whined since we drafted him. I can remember him saying I dont know why they drafted me if I am not going to start. Put it like this if S. Merriman had not taken roids went on a rage and made a horrible helmet to helmet hit on Priest LJ would not even be playing for the chiefs. His head and his hands are no where close to how good priests were. KC should have traded that pick and now its biting us in the arce. F-LJ trade him for a possesion WR and a draft pick for the next couple of years ---good ridens you whiney lil bia
Larry Johnson will not get the $ he believes he deserves. The same thing happened to Marcus Allen 15 years ago. I guess Chief fans will have to get used to seeing L. Jay in silver and black.
i'm tired of pro-atheletes complaining about money. they get a dream job, make millions in signing bonuses and other incentives and then cry when they ONLY make 1.7 million dollars. back in the day guys like tarkenton and deacon jones all had part-time jobs.
Yes the guy is a horse and it will hurt to lose him this year but horses are stupid animals. I am sure some stupid team like the Gaiders or Cowgirls would give up something good for him...
Why such disdain for LJ. Answer me this. Do you not think he has been the second best running back in the league for the past two years?
This is how the business works and if you look at it he is grossly underpaid.
What if you were the top performer at your job but getting paid much less than everyone else what would you do.
I think it is safe to say he deserves a raise. I am not necessarily condoning the huge contract the LT got but I think a raise is definitely in order and if you don't agree with that well then this is all lost someone as ignorant as you.
Oh I'm ignorant?- LOL- I think not, just someone who calls it for what it is and if you can't stand someone having a different opinion than you I suggest you become a hermit and live in a bubble for the rest of your life. When did I ever doubt LJ's ability? and I certainly have no disdain for him personally. I do have a disdain however with how he is pursuing his interests as a spoiled child. Didn't his coach #### Vermeil even once say that he needs to take his diaper off (or something like that)? He does not deserve a raise as of yet since he only dedicated himself for 1 full season and performed well. And NO WAY IN HELL does he deserve LT money. And no, I DO NOT think he was the 2nd best back the past 2 years. I think there are quite a few backs ahead of him. I also even see Chiefs fans are in agreement with me here so I'm certainly not alone. Care to try again PETEMACK?
LIonking--I couldn't agree w/u more about starting Green over Huard.--Pete--he deserves a raise not a whold new contract. How about some incentives for yardage or carries...Lets not forget he did not gain those yards by himself and our O-line is not what it used to be.
Yes, it was stupid. That's why he's in Miami- which would make Miami the stupidEST I guess....From what I hear the Chiefs are starting Croyle? What do you think?
Why did LJ sign such a long-term contract? Didnt he HOPE that he would perform so well in a short period(say 3 years) and then could demand a big contract after? Didn't he realize that he would be underpaid during the tenure of his current contract if he did? Then why sign the #### deal? Speaking of stupid moves...LOL
Last edited by tallmansvt on August 10th at 1:53 PM.
One more thing I said on another blog. Vince Young will be a big-time star. He's got it all. Take it from a fan who watched his team get torn up by him (Giants). He'll only get better to which is scary.
I bought a 2007 Corvette, and now the 2008 is out with more power. Can I renegotiate what I paid for my 2007 since the 2008 now has more power? I don't think so. A contract is a contract. You sign it, you honor it! Yes, LJ is probably worth more money, but don't hold out. Show up for work and do your job while you try to negotiate for additional money. I believe that he would get better results by showing up for work, proving that he is still one of the top 5 in the NFL, and let his agent work with the owners to get him more money.
Last edited by spazzi69 on August 10th at 2:08 PM.
tallmansvt ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! I'm tired of owners being unwilling to pay there players when they have out work there contract. If LJ are anyone else had stunk it up then he would have been out of there at the end of the season. The NFL is not like the NBA where players get guarenteed contracts. LJ get your money!!! Owner are getting billions i will say that again BILLIONS while players are out there putting there life on the line lets stay that again PUTTING THERE LIFE ON THE LINE!!!! I am not staying that he deserve LT money but he does deserve a BIG raise. He did all that last year with no line, so Herm you want him to go out the and put up a new record for carries and not pay him, to heck with that!!!!
LJ is still on his rookie contract and 5 r 6 years was standard i think you can not compare a person to a car. Lets look at that point anyway if you brought a Vet and it was a lemon wouldnt you take it back now let say that your vet was a classic and grew in value wouldnt it be worth more in time.. LJ still has fresh legs he didnt play much his first 2.5 years in the NFL
LJ is good, but like everyone says, he's not LT good - no where near. Honor your contract, sissy boy! Be greatful and appreciative you are even selected to play in such an elite league.
Well said, spazzi.
Hines Ward, the class act that he is, asked quitely to the owners about re-negotiating his contract, due to the fact he was in the bottom 25% percentile in pay, however, he performed within the top 10 NFL receivers. Had he cried and made a public scene, I'm guessing that the Steelers would have made him honor his contract.
In the end, the Steelers rewrote his contract because the way went about his business; kept playing and let his play making abilities do the talking.
Message for you LJ: Shut your mouth and play football and be greatful. Although I've been a life time Chargers fan, from what I gather, KC is a classy organization and I sincerely beleive they would have compensated you the market value. But all this whining you've been doing have only hurt your cause.
Tallman, I agree with you too. I've been ranting about the same thing since L.J. started his holdout. If you're that good L.J. show us another year, show us you can be consistently great like L.T. If you're not willing to prove yourself don't expect to get paid! Kudos to the K.C. organization for taking a stand and not letting a whining nagging player get the best of them.
With the O-line not what it was 2 years ago, that really makes me want to see, and I'm sure the K.C. organization as well, what he can do before anyone can decide he's worth a raise.
muchbetterthanur, you're not entirely right. He will be fined for each day of training camp he misses by his team; and for each game he misses, the Chiefs won't pay him for those games. They'll take the fines out of his game checks after he starts playing in week 10. The only thing it does for him to play the season out starting in week 10 is give him credit for having played during the season. He's going to be missing out on millions by not playing til week 10, and you think another team is going to want to put up with his childish mannerisms after this? It's too big of a risk. Why do you think there are so many players in the draft and in training camps? Because with good development and a little bit of luck, most players in the NFL are expendable.
If it wasn't for Shawn Merriman knocking out Priest Holmes in October 2005, LJ would still be sitting left pine.
BTW: Welcome back, Priest. As a true football fan, we don't like to see anyon of you guys down, sincerely glad you pulled out of your injury).
LJ has not even played two full seasons and he wants to be the second highest paid RB? WTF?! Are you kidding me?! Show us something more than having the most carries in a season before you pop off.
I HOPE JAKE PLUMMER FALLS AND CRACKS HIS FRONT 2 TEETH. AS LONG AS WE GET SOMETHING OUT OF HIM IN TAMPA BAY BE IT 7 MIL OR HIM COMING BACK (PLEASE NO), I GUESS THIS GIVE NEW MEANING TO JAKE THE SNAKE.
Come on KC pay LJ. Just not what he wants. Theres no man out there that is as good as LT. LJ would maybe put up yards like LT does year after year then pay the man but $28Mill lol no way. Trade the guy for a 2rd pick. Or put the Tag on him next yr and make him suffer.. As for the Bears trade Orton for a 4th or 5th round and try to trade up next year to draft a QB again. The Bears really haven't had the best of luck with QB since I cant think of his name he was old and then played for the Vikes lol. BUC's your screwed this year with Alsott messign up his neck but you should get the money from Plummer.
Last edited by abmslooth on August 10th at 4:35 PM.
I see both sides of the argument. On the one hand, it would be nice to see an athlete live up to his contract. What would be preferable would be incentive-laden contracts based on performance. Let's face it, LJ would have been the 2nd highest paid back last year that way. And while I have no sympathy for these guys, I can empathize. Over 400 carries is insane-the Chiefs would have been 6-10 without him . Backs who can hold up under that kind of pounding are very rare. And Johnson realizes if this continues, he'll be out of the business in 4 years. Can't blame him for wanting to cash in now because when he's 30 he'll be through.
Interesting point on a contract. I had a 2 year contract with Cingular (now the new At&T, LOL). Their service basically sucked. Had to call them on an average of 3 times a week for various problems. They wouldn't let me out of my "contract" so I canceled and went with another carrier, I'm now in collection for over two years.
I signed a contract that I was not getting the service I signed for. Should I have just kept it and dealt with it, bad service, no service, every now and then service?
Seriously dude, you people are really ignorant. It's painful to hear fans argue about athletes not honoring their contracts. Fact is, there is no honor in an NFL contract. Ask Eddie George, Donovan Darius, Luke Petigoiut or any other one of the thousands of NFL veterans who are cut when they underperform their contract.
Oh and by the way, what's with everyone claiming that LJ is ####ing about his contract. Last I heard, I HEARD NOTHING! Dude is busting his #### right now in Arizona at API. It's not like he's one of these prima donas in the nba or even a Lance Briggs. The dude is staying in shape and letting his agents negotiate.
As for the rocket scientist who brings up Deacon Jones pay, way to go ####. My grandfather bound books for like $5 a week 75 years ago. Your argument would really make sense if there wasn't such a thing as inflation or growing revenues in the NFL. ####... get a clue
Larry, is just a bum who got lucky he is an average back. and nothing to get excited about.
even if the, ever so smart chiefs, give him the money. I don't think they can find a helmet that will fit him this year.
I know you bums in KC have NOTHING els to get gitty about so, best of luck to LJ and whoever those other guys are
The only thing the chiefs have is....uhhh...well...
..oh. the color red, the thing is I have a red shirt to and it has never thrown a touchdown. not once.
I'm no chiefs fan, but i APPLAUD their front office for not backing down to that PRIMA-DONNA and his DELUSIONS he's "deserving" of LT money....he's had a couple of good seasons, sure.. but does he have the TEAM record for Rushing TD'S in a game?? NO!!!!!!!! 2 guys named PRIEST HOLMES and DERRICK BLAYLOCK have that record...the only theng LJ has proven is that he can HOLD out going on 2 WEEKS into camp, let his body go, probably sit out until week TEN, where he'll have NO way in 6 games to "PROVE HIS WORTH" KC has good options w/ michael bennett and POSSIBLY priest holmes coming back......it's TERRELL OWENS JR's party.... let him CRY if he wants to...NOBODY'S LISTENING and RIGHTFULLY SO!
If he's making more than $1M per year for playing a game he should count himself lucky. Greedy sums-o-beyotches are getting tiresome.
There shouldn't be a player in the league making over $2M per annum. Baseball players should be pulling down no more than that either.
Maybe then they could quit charging such outrageous ticket and concession prices to watch a bunch of grown men play a Game and act like children when they don't get their way.
I applaud the Chiefs also in holding the line on pay but they may be over doing it to the teams detriment.They have a lot more problems than LJ and could use him to solve some of them. Why not trade him for a couple of first round draft picks and let someone else worry about how much to pay him?
After his not so GREAT stuff last year in the playoffs, I don not see how johnson should get any more money than he deserves or has right now. GO PRIEST HOLMES!!!
Whle we're on the topic of pay. The OWNERS have brought thisLJ kind of demands on themselves. When teams pay a top draft choice over $8,000,000 per year for six years, guarentee over $25,000,000 to a guy who has about a 50% chance of being a total bust and MAYBE a 5% chance of becoming a top preformer WITHIN A FEW YEARS; what do you expect the guys to do who already are top preformers working for less to do? The owners need to get their heads out of their *** and stop paying rookies these big contracts. Make contracts preformance based for all players and we'll have better quality play, pay that fits the player, and a sense of fairness that is sadly lacking in every team in the NFL.
Just my 2 cents.
Some people are idiots and then their are some people who are just plain Dumb. how can you be mad at anybody (whether its LT or LJ or some scrub)for renegotiating their contract. are some of you people nerds who never picked up any type of ball. stupid idiots, a contract can be terminated at almost anytime. LJ has one year left in his contract if he gets hurt they dont have to part with him ever again and there is a chance another team wouldnt sign him. he wants a long term commitment from his team its no telling what will happen after this year. i hear people saying atheles is suppose to play out their contracts, but owners dont have to keep athletes through their contracts. (and it works the other way) 1.7 mill is alot but now and daze that money could be gone in a year thats not a lifetime savings stupid people. its no guranteed your life will be set with 1.7 mill. i wonder if you people just say things cause yall envy cause you people is stupid. its a business b4 trying to kept you stupid fans happy. do you people know that L.J broke a record for the most carries last year. this dudes is being slaved out their and the chiefs dont have a chance without him so some way they will found a way to pay him. they wanted Green to take a pay cut but no one has anything to say about the owners that just cut players left and right no matter whats the situation. you people sicken me and yalla idiots and ima call yall names out cause yall are stupid.
Tazdevil you sound like a jealous ####
Ukrapper for cheering on an already rich organization for not paying a hard working man. yo
John Czarnecki, a former sportswriter with over 20 years experience covering the NFL, has been the editorial consultant for the Emmy Award-winning FOX NFL Sunday since its 1994 inception. Prior, he provided exclusive information to CBS Sports' The NFL Today program from 1991 to 1993, holding a similar position.
Prior to joining CBS Sports, Czarnecki was a pro football writer for The National Sports Daily (1989-91), The Dallas Morning News (1989), and The Los Angeles Herald-Examin er. An archive of work can be found here.
