Jason La Canfora reportedly earlier Monday morning that Titans RB Chris Johnson suffered a meniscus tear back in Week 3, but still managed to finish out the 2013 season.
According to La Canfora, it appears to be a “virtual certainty” that Johnson will hit the free-agent market this spring.
Johnson, 28, opted to play out the season, despite being in “considerable pain and discomfort.” Johnson is scheduled to undergo what’s being referred to as a minor procedure on Tuesday and is expected to require a 4- to 6-week recovery period. La Canfora expects Johnson to be able to pass a physical by March.
We’ve passed along numerous reports regarding the Titans possibly parting ways with Johnson this offseason, so it’s not surprising to hear that a knee issue could further impact his future in Tennessee.
Johnson signed a six-year, $55.26 million deal in 2011, which includes a lofty base salary of $10 million for the upcoming 2014 season. Parting ways with Johnson would free up $4 million in cap space, according to Overthecap.com.
La Canfora expects the Titans to gauge Johnson’s willingness to take a pay cut during the combine, but believes an “amicable split” makes sense for both parties.
Follow NFL Trade Rumors on X.com and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
