It’s early April, so at this point anything is possible. Larry Johnson can co-exist with Clinton Portis; he will be a good citizen; he does have something left. This is the time of year when anything is possible and no statement can be proved incorrect.
So Johnson is full of confidence as to what he can do in Washington. This is not a fresh start for him. This is a continuation.
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“I’ve been in so many fresh starts,” he said. “This is more like I’m going into a different era. … Being 30, your fresh starts are gone.”
The Redskins signed the former Pro Bowl runner last month, a controversial move. He has multiple arrests in his background, and he landed in trouble thanks to some tweets last season, when he chided fans about how much money he made and used derogatory slang for homosexuals.
One Chiefs source, who worked in the football office, called him his “least favorite player of all-time.” Johnson said the Redskins needn’t worry.
“It’s a trust,” he said. “I trust them that they would do the right thing for my career, and they trust them to do what’s in the best interests of the organization.”
There’s also the matter of whether, at age 30, he has anything left. Heck, the same is wondered about his new backfield partner. One GM said the Redskins have two complementary backs at this point.
“I still have a lot left,” said Johnson, who has rushed for 6,219 career yards but has not surpassed 874 since 2006. “People keep forgetting I didn’t play much my first couple years, so I have a lot of burn left. I’m kind of like a Cadillac; it never loses its luster. It just moves on.”
He and Portis have talked but not much about their future roles. And Johnson said he would love to start but isn’t worried about his carries.
“You have to regain that respect,” Johnson said. “In Kansas City I felt I deserved more because I’d been there before any of the other coaches got there. It’s different here.”
