When the New York Jets acquired Marty Morhinweg to lead their offense last year, they didn't have much need for running back Shonn Greene's services. So that offseason, Greene signed on with the Tennessee Titans to give the elusive Chris Johnson some support.
This offseason, the Titans decided they didn't have much use for Johnson anymore. And less than two weeks after Johnson hit the open market, the Jets completed the swap.
Gang Green signed the veteran tailback Wednesday after meeting with him the evening before, an unsurprising move given increasing reports over the past week connecting the two.
". . .when I woke up this morning, I knew it was going to be the Jets," Johnson told NewYorkJets.com.
The 28-year-old running back joins Chris Ivory, a pure battering ram, to provide versatility in the Jets' offensive backfield. His outside-the-tackles style complements Ivory well, and he's capable of taking on an every-down role if need be.
"I think I'm going to fit in pretty well," Johnson said of Mornhinweg's West Coast system. "Just talking to him and to Rex, who's a guy that likes to run the ball, I think I'm going to fit in very well. We talked about all those things, catching out of the backfield, getting the ball to me in space."
"I think I'm going to fit in pretty well," Johnson said of Mornhinweg's West Coast system. "Just talking to him and to Rex, who's a guy that likes to run the ball, I think I'm going to fit in very well. We talked about all those things, catching out of the backfield, getting the ball to me in space."
Johnson, who has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of his six seasons with 50 rushing touchdowns to boot, snagged a career-high four touchdown receptions last year. He'll cut heavily into Bilal Powell's snaps and will probably put Mike Goodson out of a job.
"It's a team on the rise and I want to make them better," Johnson told The Tennessean." ... I still have it."
