Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson’s season started late because of contract negotiations. Now it looks like it’s going to end early due to an injury. After what was first reported as a foot sprain and one-week leave of absence, Fox 31 out of Denver is reporting (citing team sources) that the foot is actually broken and that Larry will miss the remainder of the 2007 season. If this is true, it’s a crushing blow to an already anemic offense (third to last statistically) in Kansas City. Without their most explosive weapon at running back, it’s going to be a long second half of the season for KC.

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Larry Johnson’s Season Might be Over

It seems like I just left the 2007 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony (it was about three weeks ago), but next year’s class is already being discussed. Today, Chicago Cardinals back Marshall Goldberg and Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Emmitt Thomas were selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee as finalists for election into the Hall of Fame with the Class of 2008. The duo will join 15 still-to-be-named modern-era candidates on the list of finalists from which the Class of 2008 will be selected. The Hall of Fame selection meeting will be held on February 2, 2008, the day before Super Bowl XLII in Arizona. To be elected, Marshall Goldberg and Emmitt Thomas must each receive the same 80% voting support that is required of all finalists. The Hall’s Board of Selectors can elect a maximum of two senior candidates and five modern-era candidates for a class no smaller than four or larger than seven during next February’s meeting.

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Marshall Goldberg, Emmitt Thomas Named Pro Football Hall of Fame Senior Nominees

Kansas City RB Larry Johnson ended his 25-day training camp holdout and signed a six-year contract extension with the Chiefs today. Then before the ink was dry, he was on the practice field with his teammates. After setting the NFL record with 416 carries last season, Larry decided he needed some kind of financial security if his team was going to run him ragged. The three week (and change) holdout cost Larry $357,000, but the contract he signed will more than make up for it. His deal includes a $19 million guarantee. (Doing some quick math, Larry’s bank deposit after the fine will total $18,643,000.)

I supported Larry’s holdout from the beginning because I understood his reasoning. His agent, Alvin Keels, made it known that LJ wasn’t being greedy. It just wasn’t good business for a player who rushes the ball 416 times in a season — back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons, back-to-back broken Kansas City Chiefs records seasons — to come back and play for $1.7 million. As is the case with most teams, the Kansas City Chiefs don’t care if they put high miles on Larry for a few seasons and then discard him in favor of a younger back with fresh legs. This is a common business practice, however inhumane it might seem. Welcome to the big leagues. The shelf life of a running back in the NFL is far less than at any other position. In a previous post, I even thought it would make more sense to trade LJ now while he was in great demand. Nevertheless, Larry Johnson got the deal he was looking for and it seems everyone is happy. With Priest Holmes working out but still not ready for contact, this signing couldn’t come at a better time for the Chiefs’ offense.

It will be interesting to watch this week’s Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs (HBO Wednesday’s at 10 p.m. EST) and see how the whole thing played out. Apparently Larry stopped in KC on his way to Pennsylvania from Arizona (where he was training). As (Larry’s) luck would have it, he never made it to Pennsylvania.

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Larry Johnson Ends Holdout, Signs Six-Year Extension With Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is looking for a new contract. And he’s willing to boycott training camp to get one. But rather than try to wage a losing battle in contract negotiations with this fantasy favorite, the Chiefs should consider trading LJ while his stock is so high.

I like that LJ’s agent, Alvin Keels, made it clear that greed is not why they are looking for more money:

“The point I’d like to get out is that if we were to have to hold out, it would be for the sake of good business, not being greedy. It’s not good business for a player who rushes the ball 416 times in a season, back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons, back-to-back broken Kansas City Chiefs records, it’s not good business for him to come back in and play for $1.7 million. And that’s a sensitive area because $1.7 million is a lot more than most people in Kansas City make.”

Even a premiere running back’s shelf life in the NFL is shorter than at any other position. And at 27 years old, if LJ plays for longer than five more seasons I’d be surprised. Especially considering the number of carries he had last season, a record-setting 416. I know it might sound absurd to attempt to trade a player of this (current) caliber, but in what’s expected to be a rebuilding season for the Chiefs, it might just make the most sense. NFL Europa offensive co-MVP Derrick Ross will be in camp along with Priest Holmes (remember him?), Michael Bennett, Marcus O’Keith, and Kolby Smith, so it won’t be the end of the world, especially if the trade includes another running back. I say go for it. Send him to a RB-hungry playoff contender like the Eagles, Giants or Packers and get a good return — a really good return — on one of the best running backs in the NFL.

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Should the Chiefs Trade Larry Johnson?

What a perfect definition for the career of Trent Green as the QB continues to be stuck in limbo as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs despite the Miami Dolphins upping the ante, so to speak, in their desire to acquire the rights to his services. Trent Green may be in the twilight of his career, but I believe he still has a couple of very good football seasons ahead of him. Why don’t the Miami Dolphins want to pay more than a sixth-round pick for what would most-likely be their starting QB in 2007? The latest offer from Miami is a conditional sixth-round pick that could turn into a fifth-round pick based on Trent reaching certain performance incentives. The Chiefs want at least a fourth-round pick. I think the Dolphins have enough QBs with Daunte Culpepper, Cleo Lemon and the newly drafted John Beck, supposedly the future of the franchise. I think it’s doing the Chiefs more harm than good to keep Trent on their roster because the team doesn’t know who’s going to be their starting QB and Trent has already said that he wants out. Take the latest offer, let Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard fight it out for the starting job, and be done with it.

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Trent Green Still in Limbo Despite New Offer