Despite his release from the Tennessee Titans, free agent running back Chris Johnson isn't visiting any teams as of Tuesday, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.
Chris Johnson rumors: Jets, Falcons seen as potential landing spots for All-Pro RB
And don’t count on a storybook reunion with Rams head coach Jeff Fisher in St. Louis.
Andy Lyons
That didn’t stop the running back from tweeting he was at the airport, leading to wide speculation as to where he was headed:
Back n the airport ✈✈✈✈ it ahhhhh happen.....
— Chris Johnson (@ChrisJohnson28) April 8, 2014 Because he’s hitting the market later than most big names, his every move will be newsworthy. Until he finds a new NFL home, the guesses should be plentiful.
So far, based on several reports via NFL.com, here’s what we know:
Frontrunners
The New York Jets reportedly have interest in bringing Johnson in, but it would have to be at the right price. The New York Daily News reported the $25 million the Jets have in cap flexibility has allowed them to be buyers, though measured in their approach.
Via the report, pairing the 28-year-old with Chris Ivory to form a two-headed monster in the backfield is an exciting prospect to the Jets' front office personnel.
Johnson would be the second big-name signing in the Big Apple after wide receiver Eric Decker signed a five-year contract worth $36.25 million over five years with $15 million guaranteed. As a running back, Johnson's number should be considerably less, but there's no knowledge of what he's seeking yet.
There are conflicting reports regarding the level of interest of both sides, but the Falcons appear to be another team who could be a good fit for Johnson.
Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean has his money on Atlanta.
Despite reports the Cowboys aren’t interested in bringing in Johnson, Rapoport maintains that it’s still a possibility the former All-Pro ends up playing in the Lone Star State.
Before he was released, the Cowboys were among several teams inquiring about trading for Johnson, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility they’d consider signing him as a free agent.
The most puzzling aspect of the Bills being involved in the bidding war for Johnson is the fact that they have two good running backs in C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. When Johnson was on the trade block, the Buffalo News reported Tennessee and the Bills had engaged in talks that fell through.
Much like the Cowboys, the Bills could be willing to re-explore the possibility of him coming in since he’s available on the open market.
Not in the running
After signing Knowshon Moreno, the Dolphins no longer have any interest in signing another feature back, despite exploring a trade earlier in the offseason.
Johnson and head coach Tom Coughlin may not be a fit, according to Art Stapleton of The Record. In addition, the Giants are confident David Wilson could come back stronger this season and be a complement to newly-signed back Rashad Jennings.
Though there are obvious ties between Johnson and head coach Jeff Fisher, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that money and a crowded backfield with the likes of Zac Stacy could be roadblocks in a potential reunion.
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