Chris Johnson is an unrestricted free agent, and let the bidding begin. Former 2,000-yard rusher. He’s run tentatively at times the last two years, but he’s still talented, and there’s still some gas left in the tank (if he’s willing to use it).
Johnson turns 29 in September. He’s starting to get on the older side, but it’s too early to be working off the theory that he’s lost a step or simply doesn’t have it any more.
In the last 20 years, 22 running backs who were either 29 or 30 on opening day put up at least 1,500 combined yards. All of these backs, of course, were older than Johnson (he’ll be 28 when the season starts).
OLDER BACKS WITH 1,500-PLUS YARDS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Running Back (age) | Team | Run | Rec | Tot | TD |
2005 | Tiki Barber (30) | NYG | 1860 | 530 | 2390 | 11 |
1997 | Barry Sanders (29) | Det. | 2053 | 305 | 2358 | 14 |
2003 | Priest Holmes (29) | K.C. | 1420 | 690 | 2110 | 27 |
2004 | Tiki Barber (29) | NYG | 1518 | 578 | 2096 | 15 |
1984 | Walter Payton (30) | Chi. | 1684 | 368 | 2052 | 11 |
2002 | Charlie Garner (30) | Oak. | 962 | 941 | 1903 | 11 |
1998 | Barry Sanders (30) | Det. | 1491 | 289 | 1780 | 4 |
2004 | Corey Dillon (29) | N.E. | 1635 | 103 | 1738 | 13 |
1984 | Tony Dorsett (30) | Dall. | 1189 | 459 | 1648 | 7 |
2005 | Warrick Dunn (30) | Atl. | 1416 | 220 | 1636 | 4 |
1998 | Ricky Watters (29) | Sea. | 1239 | 373 | 1612 | 9 |
1999 | Dorsey Levens (29) | G.B. | 1034 | 573 | 1607 | 10 |
2003 | Stephen Davis (29) | Car. | 1444 | 159 | 1603 | 8 |
1999 | Ricky Watters (30) | Sea. | 1210 | 387 | 1597 | 7 |
2003 | Curtis Martin (30) | NYJ | 1308 | 262 | 1570 | 2 |
2001 | Garrison Hearst (30) | S.F. | 1206 | 347 | 1553 | 5 |
1989 | James Brooks (30) | Cin. | 1239 | 306 | 1545 | 9 |
2008 | LaDainian Tomlinson (29) | S.D. | 1110 | 426 | 1536 | 12 |
2008 | Thomas Jones (30) | NYJ | 1312 | 207 | 1519 | 15 |
1999 | Emmitt Smith (30) | Dall. | 1397 | 119 | 1516 | 13 |
2011 | Michael Turner (29) | Atl. | 1340 | 168 | 1508 | 11 |
1998 | Emmitt Smith (29) | Dall. | 1332 | 175 | 1507 | 15 |
—Ian Allan