Chris Johnson wants to be the highest paid offensive player in the league, but based on recent comments made by Titans’ GM Mike Reinfeldt, CJ is going to have to wait a little longer before reaching his big payday.

From the Tennessean:

“Given the circumstances, I don’t think there’s the likelihood anything is going to happen,” Reinfeldt said. “You’re asking me definitely if he’s not going to get (a new contract). I’m not making any definitive statements. I just think he’s a pro and we expect him to honor his contract. Chris has always been a pro, and we expect that to continue.”

Reinfeldt again cited the 30 percent rule, but said the fact that Johnson is just two years into the five-year, $12 million contract he signed in 2008 is also an issue. The Titans haven’t made a habit of re-doing contracts after just two seasons.

The 30 percent rule, a byproduct of the league’s labor issues, stipulates a 30 percent maximum raise of the previous year’s base salary. Because the base salary would be restricted each year in a new contract, the Titans would be forced to pay Johnson guaranteed signing bonus money in the $40 million to $50 million range as part of a market-rate extension.

“There’s limitations on what we can do,” Reinfeldt said. “So it’s definitely an issue.”

Just based on comments made by Reinfeldt and Johnson’s teammates, it doesn’t appear that this will be a big issue. Johnson may wind up holding out until training camp, but you get the impression that he’ll show up later this summer as a sign of good faith.

But sooner or later, the Titans will have to pony up and pay their best player, who is highly underpaid by the way. They may wait to see if there’s a lockout in 2011, but at some point Johnson’s contract will be addressed.

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The Titans insist that they don’t have a problem brewing with running back Chris Johnson. He wants more money, but the team doesn’t believe he’ll actually hold out. GM Mike Reinfeldt is even downplaying the issue by noting how Johnson missed much of last year’s offseason voluntary work too, yet still showed up for day one of training camp.

But the cold, hard reality is that the Titans better be ready to dig their heels in, because CJ appears prepared to hold out as long as he can.

After recently speaking with Johnson about the issue, NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp believes that CJ is serious about holding out beyond training camp.

“There’s going to have to be some talking before Chris goes back to Tennessee,” Sapp said. “He’s prepared to take this through training camp.”

The main problem for the Titans, outside of Johnson’s potential holdout of course, is that they’re hamstrung by the league’s “30 percent” rule, which prohibits large raises being given for future base salaries. So if they were to draw up a new deal for Johnson, it would have to be largely bonus-based, which no team wants to do because that money is usually guaranteed.

One of two things will have to happen in order for the Titans and Johnson to settle this problem. Either the Titans are going to have to get creative in coming up with a new contract or Johnson is just going to have to trust that the team will get him a new deal as soon as a new collective bargaining agreement is signed and the “30 percent” rule is lifted. The Titans could roll the dice and hope that Johnson reports to camp without receiving a new contract, but if he doesn’t, they risk losing their most important player for an extended period of time.

Who will blink first?

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The Titans have a potential problem brewing in regards to running back Chris Johnson, who was not present on Tuesday for the team’s first practice of the offseason.

The 24-year-old Johnson wants a new contract, but the Titans are hamstrung by the “30 percent” rule, which prohibits large raises of future base salaries. Even if the team wanted to pay Johnson, it would have to come up with a deal that was largely bonus-based, which is something the team would ultimately like to avoid.

GM Mike Reinfeldt recently said that he doesn’t expect Johnson to hold out and noted that Chris “has been a pro from Day 1.” But even though he missed much of last year’s offseason voluntary work, Johnson never missed a practice so there is cause for concern.

No running back was more productive than Johnson was last season. He rushed for 2,006 yards and 14 touchdowns, while also hauling in 50 receptions for 503 yards and two scores. The Titans are well aware that he’s their best offensive weapon and would be wise to lock him up long term as soon as they can. But as of right now, Johnson may have to settle for his $550,000 salary in 2010, even though he’s highly underpaid compared to the rest of the backs in the league.

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Titans’ star Chris Johnson doesn’t become a free agent until 2013, but that hasn’t stopped him from boasting that he wants to be the highest paid running back in the league.

From the Nashville Tennessean:

“Hopefully they’ll want to give me a new deal. I think I deserve to be the highest paid running back in the league, or even the highest paid offensive player besides the quarterback,’’ said Johnson, who scored the game-winning touchdown in Sunday night’s Pro Bowl.

“But it’s not like I am not going out in the media saying, ‘Pay me, I want a new deal now.’ I am just saying, if they were to pay me, I want that. Hopefully they want that, too.’’

Johnson has already outperformed his contract in his first two seasons, but isn’t this a little early for contract talk, even if it’s in jest? He still has three more years on his contract and the Titans probably won’t even consider a new contract for him until after the 2010 season. And that’s at the earliest.

I’m sure when the time comes the Titans will do everything in their power to give Johnson what he’s worth.

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