Chris Johnson set his sights on a big new contract, yet ended up with a deal that hardly met his expectations.
On Saturday, the running back will be on the field with the rest of the Titans for the first time since finishing the 2009 season with an NFL-leading 2,006 rushing yards.
Count Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher among those looking forward to hearing what Johnson has planned for 2010. Training camp begins at Baptist Sports Park at 3:30 p.m.
"I believe he once again has a lot to prove," Fisher said. "I’d be interested to see where he sets his sights on this year, what goals he sets out there and attempts to achieve. I remind you last year at this time he wanted to be MVP and rush for 2,000 yards."
Johnson didn’t win MVP — that honor went to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning — but he did capture the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award as the Titans stormed to an 8-8 finish after an 0-6 start.
Then he skipped all of the team’s offseason workouts because of a contract dispute that wasn’t settled until just a few weeks ago.
Over the summer Johnson said he planned to rush for 2,500 yards, which would smash the all-time record of 2,105 set by Eric Dickerson in 1984, and probably require more than the league-leading 358 carries he had last season.
Asked what a realistic goal for Johnson might be this season, Fisher said: "Help us win more games. Our plan for Chris is to get him back to where he was, and pick up where he left off."
Jeff Fisher isn't the only one who wants to hear about CJ's plans for 2010, as the speedy back is number one in our rankings. It's a relief he's in camp, as his contract situation lingered for awhile. If you have the first overall pick in a draft and can land this explosive talent, be very happy.
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