Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is scheduled to return from a one-game suspension today.
But since the Chiefs can’t send him home with pay for the rest of the year, they’re planning to simply send him home. With pay.
Per a league source, the Chiefs will be cutting Johnson today.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Johnson will be able to collect the balance of his $4.55 million base salary as termination pay, unless someone claims his contract via waivers. Given Johnson’s antics from two weeks ago, it’s unlikely that another team would pick up the salary obligation (roughly $2.14 million) along with a per-game active roster bonus of $60,000 and change.
So the Chiefs likely will end up having to pay Johnson $2.14 million not to work.
Assuming he clears waivers, Johnson would become a free agent. And he’d be free to sign with any team that might need a running back for the stretch run.
Some have speculated that the Patriots would sign him. One league source has predicted to us, however, that coach Bill Belichick would not be interested.
Injuries could be a factor, too. If, for example, Adrian Peterson (the Viking, not the Bear) goes down on Sunday against the Lions (Detroit still owes Minnesota one for what they did to Billy Sims), the Miami-or-bust Vikes would likely be interested in doing another deal with the devil.