The Tennessee Titans made a big investment in their offense when they decided to pay Matt Hasselbeck $9 million this year, but they’re resisting making another big investment in their offense as they refuse to meet running back Chris Johnson’s demands for a new contract.
But while Johnson’s absence could be a problem for Tennessee heading into the season, Hasselbeck said on the Dan Patrick Show that he’s not worried.
Asked whether he’s more concerned about the status of Johnson or of the often-troubled receiver Kenny Britt, Hasselbeck said, “I’m not concerned about either one.”
Hasselbeck then compared Johnson to a former teammate of his who skipped multiple training camps, ex-Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones.
“I played in Seattle when Walter Jones was doing his holdout thing,” Hasselbeck said. “He was holding out and he’d show up on Wednesday before the first game. And the feeling in the building was, We know Walter Jones is good enough just to show up, and the best part about this is that there’s no chance he gets hurt. No chance someone rolls up on his ankle or knee or whatever. We know that we’re at least going to have him healthy.”
Hasselbeck said that because he’s seen Jones step in and contribute immediately, he believes Johnson can do the same.
“I’ve sort of been there,” Hasselbeck said. “Not stressing about that.”