The Redskins needed speed and youth at running back.They added neither when they signed Larry Johnson today. But they might have bought themselves insurance if Clinton Portis does not respond to a bad, and ultimately injury-shortened, season.
Washington signed Johnson to a three-year, $3.5-million deal, though numerous incentives could make it worth as much as $12 million.
But Johnson, like Portis, is an aging back coming off a bad season. He averaged 2.9 yards per carry in seven games for Kansas City before being cut and signed by Cincinnati, for whom he averaged 4.4 yards on 46 carries.
In eight seasons, he has rushed for 6,219 yards and averaged 4.4 yards a carry. He also has caught 154 career passes. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Johnson is a tough inside runner who, two years ago, averaged 4.5 yards per run in 12 games.
One reason the Redskins might have signed Johnson? His games vs. Denver. In seven games vs. Mike Shanahan’s Denver teams, he rushed for 821 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He posted five games of at least 125 yards rushing.
A Bengals insider said Johnson clearly was helped running behind the Bengals’ line in the final seven games and appeared to have something left, perhaps as a strong No. 2. In the only game in which he received a lot of carries for the Bengals, Johnson rushed 22 times for 107 yards vs. Cleveland. Also, facing the Redskins with the Chiefs, Johnson gained 83 yards on 23 runs.
“We are excited to bring in a running back that has had so much success in this league,” Shanahan, the Redskins Executive Vice President/Head Coach, said in a statement. “Larry is a physical runner who will be a great addition to our backfield.”
But not everyone is sold on this move. One general manager wasn’t high on Johnson or Portis, saying both, in his mind, were done as No. 1 running backs. Johnson is 30; Portis is 28.
“Portis is a complementary guy and so is Johnson,” he said. “Between the two of them maybe they get one [running back].”
Johnson, a Waldorf native, is a two-time Pro Bowler, making it in 2005 and ’06 when he topped 1,750 yards each time. He also made some controversial comments last season that helped pave the way for his release by Kansas City. And he took shots at his coach via twitter. So they now have two running backs who aren’t afraid to say anything. They still need one with speed, something they could try to land in the middle rounds of next month’s NFL draft.
