More Reports Say Chiefs Releasing LJ Now is 'Unlikely'
by Joel Thorman on Oct 29, 2009 1:36 PM CDT
in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign
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PrintYesterday, Adam Schefter of ESPN said the possibility of the Kansas City Chiefs releasing Larry Johnson following his suspension is an "unlikely option" at this time. Today, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports echoes that sentiment.
"Indeed, the best option on the table," Robinson writes, "and the one that seems likeliest, is Johnson being sent to football purgatory for the remainder of 2009, and then released in the offseason."
Robinson notes Haley's willingness to switch up the roster, as we've all seen during our weekly look at the Chiefs depth chart.
Robinson reports via a league source that the Chiefs have not made any determination on LJ at this time, despite reports out there that a decision has been made.
"A league source familiar with the situation said Thursday morning that despite speculation to the contrary, the Chiefs haven’t decided to cut Johnson in the immediate future. However, his standing with the team beyond this season seems almost sure to have been sealed."
It's looking more and more likely that the Chiefs will send LJ to "football purgatory" instead of outright releasing him. Doing this prevents him from collecting another paycheck on top of what the Chiefs already owe him for 2009. Plus, it prevents the Chiefs from furthering a perception that you just have to whine to get out of town.
I think, from our conversations on here, deactivating him, or simply not playing him for the rest of the year, is the preferred option.
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Let LJ live in purgatory
Till his contract is up the only thing that sucks is he’s taking up space on the roster when we could have a productive player in that spot.
This line is a bit confusing Joel
“Doing this prevents him from collecting another paycheck on top of what the Chiefs already owe him for 2009.”
It probably just my lack of reading comprehension.
The Chiefs have to pay LJ his base salary for 09, BUT if deactivated he doesn’t get a game day ACTIVE roster bonus (unfortunately I’ve not seen any one list exactly what that # is) but unless the league adds a game or two more to this suspension, he’s going to get his base salary. Same thing for next season if he’s on the opening day roster (don’t see this as a possibility) he’s guaranteed his base salary again in 10.
Babb broke it down this morning – numbers, unfortunately.
“The Chiefs could deactivate Johnson for some or all of its remaining eight games after his team suspension expires. That would save the Chiefs some money; Johnson receives a bonus for each game he appears on the team’s 45-man roster. Johnson still would be entitled to his yearly salary — about $330,000 per week — which is guaranteed as long as he’s on the 53-man roster.”
“The league also could suspend Johnson for anywhere from one game to the remainder of the season. If Johnson were suspended, he wouldn’t receive the prorated portion of his yearly salary for those weeks.”
Correct
Not clear on my part.
Deactivating LJ takes away his per-game bonus which is like $62,500 or something like that. But as long as he’s on the roster, he’ll get his base salary for this season.
What I meant in that line you quoted from me is that if the Chiefs cut LJ, they owe him the remainder of his base salary for this season and then he can go out and sign another contract with a team. Getting paid twice basically.
by Joel Thorman on Oct 29, 2009 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
I think, from our conversations on here, deactivating him, or simply not playing him for the rest of the year, is the preferred option.
That is the only option.
They could release him
Or they could keep him on the roster and keep playing him.
by Joel Thorman on Oct 29, 2009 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Wasn't trying to be critical
But lots of folks seem confused on this subject, just wanted to be clear.
But the basis of the thread is correct, not activating LJ for remainder is best case for Chiefs. And even better, worse case for LJ.
LJ's worst case would have most of US in hog heaven!
OTOH, the league may levy its own sanctions, for instance an additional suspension-without-pay, it seems to me.
I don’t see a lot to be gained for the organization LONG-term by being hard-nosed about this. I don’t see a lot of “Yeah? Well I’ll show YOU!” kind of ego in Pioli’s or Haley’s approach. I see quite a bit of “Yeah? Well, you might not like it, but this is what I think is best for the team.”
In public, Haley’s generally more critical of himself than ANYbody on the team.
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
they can release him......
however LJ has to lose his appeal for the suspension for them to release him, and lets be honest, he’ll probly will win that……. theres people in this league that have done/said worse. i mean lets look at what happened in the nba in detroit against the pacers and the fans. those players won half their appeal stating they where in the right to defend themselfs against those fans that night in detriot. the fans had no right to attack LJ that night through tweets. Love him or hate him…… any grown man is gonna defend himself when people are making fun of his appearance (the background of ljs tweet page)
Since when did chiefs fans turn into Yankees fans?
by LeaveLJalone419 on Oct 29, 2009 2:26 PM CDT reply actions
I don't understand
Why would he have to lose his appeal to be released?
KC owes LJ what they agreed to in the contract. I think they should release him if they are not going to play him.
Let him sign and get paid by someone else. Don’t use up a roster spot just for spite. There are guys out there willing to work to make the team better. They may not make the game day active list but they can provide depth and can work on the scrimmage squad.
by Lost in Denver on Oct 29, 2009 2:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Ok, what about the next guy?
Do you really want to say to the team, if you don’t want to be here, just act out?
I don’t think so!
I see your point on the next guy, but...
I don’t think this incident was a plan to get out of town. I believe it was frustration and a lack of thinking (planning).
I don’t see how keeping a player to rot on the bench is part of the “Right 53”
I don’t want to see my beloved Chiefs to become known as the place where players rot on the bench.
FAs want to get paid AND play. Who would want to come to a place where they will make you sit and rot if your not part of the plan after the trade deadline?
by Lost in Denver on Oct 29, 2009 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions
good points
I could see it both ways.
personally, I’d cut my losses, take the salary hit and get rid of him
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
I don't see what the NBA has to do with this.
I also think that previous incidents with LJ put him in “a league of his own.”
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
honestlY I dont want him to get what he wants
so simply use a roster spot and dont play him after the suspension…DO NOT hand him the football
if they do…
SILENCE…dont cheer or boo…show we dont care
Remember another Chief RB
Remember when Al Davis had Marcus Allen sitting on the bench? Different circumstance as to how it happened, but a sad thing. Half of sports if full of thugs anymore that deserve worse then LJ…had LJ been lighting up the scoreboard for us, would we be running him out on a rail so much? Don’t get me wrong…I think we should have traded him last year or the year before. And I think Charles can actually produce behind our lackluster line and provide some excitement for seasons end. And I think that if LJ signs, our cost outlay is offset by whatever salary he gets elsewhere…so if we think that we can get basically the same dollar sense out of releasing him…release him and get a productive player into his slot. Move on….get rid of the cancer before it spreads!!!
Every generation thinks the old days were sweeter, more honest, and more genteel.
And every generation is pretty much wrong.
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
The starting halfback for your Las Vegas Locomotives ....
LARRY JOHNSON!!!!
"It's the fans"
The Chiefs play this “it’s the fans” video on ArrowVision before every game. Among all the other reasons that have been talked about – the F word, and dissing Haley, LJ has put the team in a tough spot in yet another way because the team has been emphasizing this “it’s the fans” campaign, and LJ disses the same fans the team is trying to win back.
This is not the biggest reason they have to respond, but this is part of the problem he’s created for them. When the Chiefs make a point of publicly telling us it’s about the fans, they can’t have one of their employees publicly undermining that message without responding.
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