Titans running back Chris Johnson hasn’t been shy about expressing his displeasure with the Titans’ offensive schemes and offensive line in the last two years, a pair of seasons that have seen Johnson score 10 touchdowns after getting into the end zone 28 times over the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Johnson’s just as forthcoming when it comes to his thoughts about the changes to the Titans offense this offseason. His review is much more positive than it has been about the other aspects of the Tennessee offense.
“Basically we’re learning a new playbook right now and there’s a lot of different things going in. It’s something we should have a good time doing,” Johnson said, via David Boclair of the Nashville City Paper. "… Last year … we basically were trying to turn into like a passing team. Coming in this year [we know] it’s going to be a run-first offense.”
With guard Andy Levitre and tight end Delanie Walker signing as free agents and two more interior linemen joining the team in the draft, the signals of a more physical offensive approach are hard to ignore. That continues a trend that began when Dowell Loggains took over as offensive coordinator and the Titans started running the ball more often in the final weeks of the 2012 season.
The Titans also traded up to get wide receiver Justin Hunter a year after drafting wide receiver Kendall Wright in the first round as they try to help Jake Locker establish himself as a franchise quarterback, however, so it’s not like it will be all three yards and a cloud of dust in Nashville next season. Getting the run game going will create balance that should help on that front while also getting Johnson back to the kind of production he showed in his best seasons with the Titans.