Chris Johnson M.I.A

Hold out, wait a minute! - Last season saw the breakout of one of the NFL's most electrifying players the game has seen in quite some time. Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson became just the 6th running back in NFL history to reach the highly coveted 2,000 yard mark last year and eventually set a new record for single season scrimmage yards with 2,509 surpassing the previous record held by Marshall Faulk (2,429). However, last year's recipient of the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award doesn't plan to take the field next season without a pay raise. Johnson says he isn't pleased with his current contract and is asking for a new one. Something that's a lot easier said than done which is why Johnson plans to do what ever it takes to get his hands on a new one including skipping voluntary workouts.

Selected out of East Carolina as the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, Johnson signed a 5-year, $12Million dollar contract with the Titans. The speedy running back is under contract for a paycheck of $550,000 next season and is even threatening a hold out in hopes of a new deal. We seen San Francisco 49ers highly talented rookie WR Michael Crabtree do the same thing last season after being drafted 10th overall in last year's Draft and disagreeing with the contract his counterpart Darius Heyward Bey received from Al Davis' Oakland Raiders. After becoming the longest rookie holdout in franchise history in September of '09, Crabtree and the 9ers agreed to a six-year deal worth $32 million. Heyward Bey on the other hand signed a five-year deal worth $38.25 million despite being selected three slots earlier in the draft. As for their play on the field, Crabtree finished with 39 more receptions, 500 more receiving yards and 1 touchdown more than Heyward Bey.

Johnson received some advice from former running back and St. Louis Rams great -- Marshall Faulk, the same player who's record of single season scrimmage yards was broken by Johnson. Faulk, also a hold out victim told Johnson to hold out for as long as he can for as much money as possible. But considering how big of a role Johnson played in last year's mid-season turnaround from an 0-6 record to an 8-8 finish, the team would be anything but smart if they didn't have their Pro-Bowl RB to start the season. But after the career year he had in '09, it won't be cheap. Believe it or not, Johnson isn't the only one who skipped out on the first of NFL OTA's (Organized Team Activities) to protest his contract. 2008-2009 league leading receiver and Pro Bowl WR Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans didn't report until three days after expressing his disinterest in his current deal which still has 5 years left on it. After ending his holdout of three OTA sessions, Johnson made an appearance where he stated, "Me sitting out is not going to help so I decided to come back."

Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was also absent from OTA's just one year after the team made him the highest payed defensive player in the sport by inking a seven-year, $100 million contract just a season ago. Some leader he is...