Chiefs and Packers have talked about Larry Johnson

porky88

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On NFL Total Access Adam Schefner stated the Chiefs contacted the Packers and a few other teams about maybe an offer involving Larry Johnson. However nothing is close but I guess there was a discussion.
 

bozz_2006

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So my question is, why are they shopping Larry Johnson? Is the fact that he's a locker-room diva THAT big of a problem for the chiefs?
 

Raider Pride

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I read that he is indeed a locker room diva, and they do not want him to distrupt the team. It is also said that he will want money like L.T.'s 60 million dollar contract he signed two years ago.

I would pass on this. It is not even an option.
 
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porky88

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It's all about money. I don't think he'll be a Packer but I also don't think he'll be a Chief beyond this season. It is intriguing none the less.
 

Zombieslayer

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I read somewhere that he'll want BIG BUCKS from any team that signs him. That doesn't sound like someone TT would want.

Not only that, but with almost 800 carries in the past 2 years, that's a lot of wear and tear on the body. I don't care how tough someone is, nobody can take abuse like that long-term. I'll be weary, and I'm sure that has entered TT's mind as well as the bucks.
 

Raider Pride

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Not only that, but with almost 800 carries in the past 2 years, that's a lot of wear and tear on the body. I don't care how tough someone is, nobody can take abuse like that long-term. I'll be weary, and I'm sure that has entered TT's mind as well as the bucks.

Zombie,

That sir is a brilliant point.

However... This could open up a whole new thread.

Yes he was made a work horse by K.C. Yes did have almost 800 carries over the last 2 years.

Now if I am his agent..... I am thinking.... here is my guy, he has done what he was asked for two years, the fact is that he was on a team that did not have a pssing game and over worked him. It is not his fault that he was on a team that over worked him based on they had no passing game. This, has hurt him as far as his right to earn a living in the NFL LONG TERM.

He has paid his dues, and now we want to cash in just as if he would have had a longer career than he is going to have by being the K.C. work horse and the fact he did what was asked of him.

I can understand his frustration. A Running back in the NFL only has so much gas for the long term . If You get drafted by the wrong team your career and income potential could be well short of if you were drafted by a team that had a passing game that would extend your ability to play at a competitive level.

R.P.
 

retiredgrampa

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I just read on another forum that this hot-shot has said he only wants to play for a black coach. I wouldn't want that SOB on my team.
 

pack_in_black

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Ugh. I would probably cry if this were ever even close to getting done. Character issues aside, this guy is over. No O-line this year, all those carries and an angry running style. IR written all over him. That and Herm has a strange tendency to demolish every skill player he has on his team.
 

longtimefan

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I just read on another forum that this hot-shot has said he only wants to play for a black coach. I wouldn't want that SOB on my team.



He said that again, or was it some oone going on to re-quote what he said last year??

Last year he went on the air saying he likes or is going to like to play for Herm Edwards cuz he is black...Cuz a white coach has no idea what its like to be a black player
 
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I'll take a different view on this: I say getting LJ will be a positive, perhaps the only way the Packers will contend immediately after Favre retires.

Let's face it, Rodgers has not done anything to convince people that he will be even decent after he becomes our starting QB. In fact, in his brief exposure to meaningful playing time, he has been awful.

I say TT has interest in LJ just for the mere fact that LJ is a franchise back, a workhorse. You are looking at a guy that can carry the ball 30+ times a game, heck even more if needed; how many other backs can do that? Not many.

When Rodgers comes in, it would be really unwise (IMO) to place all the pressure on him to replicate good stats and lead this team to a win. If the Chargers handing of Rivers showed us anything this year, it is that having a solid Running game will do wonders for your first year full-time starting QB.

Thus with Brett gone, if the Packers could land LJ, you have to admit his ability would immediately provide us with a RB that you can keep handing the rock off to, and he'll continue racking up the yards for you. You are looking at much less pressure on A-Rod to perform right away, and much less dependence by the Packers organization on A-Rod to have a good season in order to get to the playoffs.

I'd say getting LJ immediately makes us a contender for a playoff spot. Post Favre era IMO, we'll need a Tough D and a "pound the rock" mentality to get back to successful levels.

Now, I agree that LJ's contract demands will be through the roof. However, with a big portion of the core players locked up, having Favre's salary come of the books means that we'll have a lot of extra money to play with. Yes we will overpay, but if LJ is the type of back that can carry us on his shoulders and lead us to the playoffs, isn't he worth overpaying with money that the Packers don't really need (in a sense that we are already in great cap position, don't need extra 10-11 million in cap space)?

Another thing, Favre is the face of this franchise. Rightfully so I believe, because he was the franchise player for so long. Once he leaves, people will look to Rodgers to be that same player, to become the face of the franchise which might lead to increased pressure on him. Bring in LJ, you've now got a face of the franchise, one guy who is certainly productive enough to merit that role and someone who probably likes the spotlight anyway. Make things easier for Rodgers.

I'd say that TT might have some interest in Larry J. somewhere down the line, perhaps in two years or so, after LJ has been franchised and the Chiefs have agreed to not franchise tag him again, the Packers will take a stab at signing and overpaying for Johnson.

It'd certainly make them contenders for playoffs in the short term IMO, and Johnson's high demands might scare off a lot of teams, leaving the Packers and TT an opening to get something done. It will buy us some more time to develop Rodgers, and heck improve his supporting cast through the drafts. It'd make TT's job a hell of a lot easier.
 

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I'm concerned about him having almost 800 carries in only two seasons, but his total is low so maybe he has a lot of steam left.
 

HatestheEagles084

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Being a Penn State fan I've followed Larry Johnson more than everyone on this board combined...he's a coach's son, a student of the game...he might like playing for Herman Edwards but he has a relationship with Joe Paterno since he was a kid so I do not buy the 'black power' vibe that some of you are leaning towards...Larry Johnson is a class act, I disagree with every post made so far and therefore will not contribute to this thread anymore
 
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I disagree with every post made so far and therefore will not contribute to this thread anymore

Even my post?

Kinda funny, since I argued the exact opposite of those who said the Packers shouldn't bring him in. There are both sides of the view presented in this thread, and I'm guessing you'd fall into the 'he'd be a good fit' group.
 

Packnic

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the guy might be fine character wise.. but he is way way over rated.

hes a decent to above average running back... but he aint even on the same level as ahman green in his prime.

any running back in the nfl could get the yards and touchdowns that he gets if they play for the cheifs. they run non stop. if i got 40 touches a game i could run for over a hundred too, just on fear of dying alone.

hes overrated, overused, overconfident, and overpaid. keep this guy away. we can get a guy to pound out yards anywhere, alot cheaper.
 
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[quote="Packnic"hes overrated, overused, overconfident, and overpaid. keep this guy away. we can get a guy to pound out yards anywhere, alot cheaper.[/quote]


Overpaid? The dude is making less than a million in the final year of his contract this year. You call THAT overpaid?

Overused? Sure, but you have to admit, it must say something about LJ's strength and stamina if he can keep pounding it 40 times a game and coming out with some decent gains.

Overrated? This guy is a legit 1500 yard rushing + 500 yard pass catching back. Even Ahman in his prime wasn't one to carry the ball 40 times a game and get close to those numbers.

Overconfident? No. Last year, he came out and admitted that he could improve his pass blocking, and he said he wanted to because his lack of blocking effectiveness caused him to be taken off the field in 3rd down situations. What did he do this year? He became a much better pass blocker.

The guy can play, and he will cost the big bucks. But if Favre leaves next year, were looking at having the big bucks to get him.
 

cheesey

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retiredgrampa said:
I just read on another forum that this hot-shot has said he only wants to play for a black coach. I wouldn't want that SOB on my team.



He said that again, or was it some oone going on to re-quote what he said last year??

Last year he went on the air saying he likes or is going to like to play for Herm Edwards cuz he is black...Cuz a white coach has no idea what its like to be a black player
Geez.....i can't believe a guy would say that. Are we supposed to feel sorry for the poor "black" millionaire?
It may be true......... a white coach would have no idea what it's like to be a black player, and i bet Johnson has NO idea what it's like to be passed over for a job because of "Affirmative Action".
Why can an African American get away with saying something like that, and NOT be labeled a racist? If a WHITE player said "I want to play for a white coach, cause a black coach has no idea what it's like to be a white player" he'd be on every news/sports channel, and Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would be calling for his head!
 

warhawk

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i know that LJ is a great RB.

What I don't know is whether or not his style fits what it is we do.

Regardless of what he has been paid in the past he is going to get big bucks in the future and he may very well not be worth it if he does not have the natural running style to fit here.

I thought one of the big plusses in the zone blocking system is you don't need a LARRY JOHNSON to make it work.

I know what all about the packers is saying about building a strong team around whoever takes over for Favre is essential. I am going to say save the big bucks for the eventual OT's we will be need ing soon and get that "0" line as good as possible.

That's how you hedge a mediocre QB. Spend the money on the "0" line and find an effective RB tandem at a reasonable price.

This is why I say no to Lynch at #16. I'm not knocking Lynch either. I think he is a good player. It's too high of a price to pay for that positon when we can get a 2nd round back that can be just as productive.
 

Pack93z

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I can't believe what I am reading in this thread, here is an chance to land a top 2 or 3 RB in this league and we are hammering away at it. Some of the same people that want us to trade for a malcontent such as Moss and pay him huge money, but we have a chance at a great back whom is younger and more vital to our success than Moss and we are complaining about it.

Guess what it takes in this league to win, SPENDING MONEY on talent. Trade for him and front-load the hell out of the contract. We have the cap room to do it. This move, albeit probably wont happen, would give us a lead back with 4 years experience and VM as a backup to take some of the carries off of LJ load.

LT's Contract - only 21 million guar'd..LT2's was an eight-year, $60 million pact with $21 million guaranteed. K.C. is only projected to have $5.1 million in cap space this offseason.

Everyone on the board talks about the potential of this O-line so let them prove that we are right. We have a Defense that should be improved, and we could focus on the deep safety and reciever class in the draft this year. Heck if Levi Brown slips down near us or two us, grab him. Staley is right there with him.

Above we are hammering way at LJ like he is Pacman Jones. He is a big gifted runner that is proven. Is he a risk because of the high number of carries, yes. But remember he basically was red-shirted his rookie year. A "diva", say who?

His charity work... Does this sound like a TO or Randy Moss? From the Chiefs website.
LARRY JOHNSON
LJ’s Legacy and Growth Youth Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of youth and promoting development through collaborative partnerships. The foundation is making a difference with today’s children by nurturing positive thinking, behavior and attitudes that foster a strong self image.

He became the first player in the NFL to adopt the Junior Player Development (JPD) program. A program seeking to ready middle school-aged children for the rigors of high school football, JPD has now completed a pair of successful seasons locally thanks in part to Johnson’s visits and guidance on the practice field. All JPD participants receive counseling through a life skills/character development curriculum that’s incorporated throughout all on-field activities. Every week, a different life skills message is designated as a theme. Those themes are then addressed through the context of football. Instructors will make connections between life skills as they are applied in football as well as other areas of life, especially school, at home and in the community. Johnson has even sponsored a pair of local youth teams.

A collegiate Penn State Nittany Lion, Johnson appropriately sponsored “LJ’s Young Lions” in both a tee-ball and pee wee football format. In addition to helping finance the equipment and uniforms for these aspiring athletes, he also hosted these children at a Chiefs home game during the 2005 season.

Johnson made a visit to ReStart a center that services homeless men, women, and families with children and provides emergency and transitional shelter and support services. During his visit he not only financed the dinner, but also helped serve the holiday meal for 300 individuals who were calling the organization home that evening. He made it a point to help serve the food so that he could get a true sense of what the meal meant to those involved.

Larry has eight Kansas City, MO schools participating in his 2.7 GPA incentive program. He is also a sponsor for Kappa Alpha Phi Fraternity’s annual Easter Egg Hunt, held at the Chiefs Practice Facility, which allows 1,500 children to attend.


I swear this board would hammer away at the wrinkles in a 100 bill that was given to you.
 

PackFanInSC

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Few RBs can take that kind of wear and tear on their bodies. The stats for almost every back with 400 carries in a year shows a very short time before the trip to the IR or a major decline in carries -- except ****erson.

Jamal Anderson: Year after 410 carries - 19 carries for 59 yards
James Wilder: Year after 407 carries - 365 carries for 1300 yards
Eric ****erson: Year after 404 carries - 283 carries for 1288 yards
Eddie George: Year after 403 carries - 315 carries for 939 yards

Now, if the idea is to split time with Morency and saving his body for , I could see it making sense. That would give the big bruising back along with the change of pace back. That would be similar to what Denver has done the past couple of years with Anderson (or Bell, or Dayne) and Tatum Bell. Johnson averaged 5.2 yards a carry splitting time with Priest Holmes in 2005 but dropped to 4.7 carrying the load last year (also dropped from 20 TDS to 17 last year).

That being said, I do not see it as likely simply because we passed on several other backs that we could have gotten more cheaply. Maybe not the caliber of back but some movement at all would have made it more believable.

Rumors around the league say that Johnson is wanting something higher than LT's 8 year $60 Million dollar contract and to get that deal done plus compensating KC (who plans on drafting a RB early this year -- maybe Lynch??) make him virtually untradable.

Schefter -- Future of Johnson Still Cloudy

Johnson is 27 years old. In comparison, Ahman Green rushed 355 times for 1883 yards and 15 TDs when he was 27. He followed that with years of 259 carries for 1163 yards, 77 carries for 255 yards, and 266 carries for 1059 yards.

Some will say that is an unfair comparison because Ahman was injured in 2005 but that is precisely the point. Careers for RBs in the NFL are not long and Johnson could very well be looking at the downhill slide beginning in just a couple of years. I do not see TT locking him up in a long term contract.

Another point is that Johnson's success may very well be a product of their system. Priest Holmes had years of 1008, 506, and 588 yards as a backup in Baltimore before moving to KC. There, as a starter, he jumped to 1555, 1615, and 1420 before injuries caught up with him -- at age 30. Since then, he has had years of 892 and 451 yards before sitting out last year.

With a young line, I do not know that we can expect the same kind of production out of Johnson as he got in KC. Just ask Edge.
 

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Another thought on my post (above):

If KC wants to draft a RB (Lynch) in Round 1, part of the trade could be swapping 1st round picks -- putting them ahead of Tennessee, who also is supposedly looking for a RB. That would let them have Lynch at 16 and put us in position for a TE (Olsen) at #23 -- more in line with where the earlier mock drafts had him and ahead of the Patriots (who lost Graham) and the Jets -- who are said to be looking for a TE as well.

Then we could send our 2nd round pick to the Raiders for Moss (after they pick Calvin Johnson). That would give us Johnson, Moss, and a TE in the first 2 rounds and leaving us picking up a safety, a backup CB (to groom for when CW and AH retire), and a bunch of backup OL for the lower latter rounds.

Cap-wise, would that be workable? Or would we have to move KGB in either the Raider or Chief trades to free up room?
 

Arles

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2nd round for Moss is insane. A third would be the absolute max for him.
 

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