MKRob Sports

Tennessee running back Chris Johnson did not report to the Titans voluntary mini-camp as part of his strategy to obtain a new contract after having a phenomenal sophomore year.

Johnson became only the sixth running back to gain over 2000 yards in a single season and set the record for most yards from scrimmage in a season.

The Titans running back has three years left on the $12 million contract he signed in 2008. Of that $12 million, seven million was guaranteed, but his base salary for 2010 is only $550,000.

Johnson was a first round draft pick in 2008 from East Carolina and was named the Associated Press’ 2009 Offensive Player of the Year. Shortly after the award he started making noise about wanting more money.

“That’s something my agent has got to take care of, my agent and upstairs,” Johnson said in January, the day after the season ended. “I’m not sure. I need to get Bud Adams number.”

Johnson ran 358 times for 2,006 yards and set the single-season record for yards from scrimmage with 2,509, topping Marshall Faulk’s mark of 2,429 set in 1999 with St. Louis. He became the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards and catch 500 yards in the same season.

The lightning fast running back also became the first player in NFL history to rush for three touchdowns of 85 yards or longer in a career, which he did in one season.

This is the first time Johnson has been absent from the Titans’ on-field sessions called organized team activities, though he has worked out on his own during the offseason. Coach Jeff Fisher has no mandatory mini-camps, preferring that his Titans voluntarily choose to take part in approximately 14 sessions each offseason.

But the Titans see the final year of the collective bargaining agreement limiting what they can do because of a rule curbing pay hikes in base salaries to 30 percent. The alternative is paying millions up front.

Johnson tweeted about Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb receiving an extension on Thursday and said that raised the stakes for himself with the Titans.

Coach Jeff Fisher said Johnson is under contract and refused to get into talk about negotiations.

“He eventually will come back,” Fisher said. “We are concerned about those that are here right now. He knows what it takes to get into shape and to do those things, but it is hard to get it done elsewhere because the group that is working now is in terrific shape.”

The only healthy running back in camp is Javon Ringer. Ringer will be on his own until May when undrafted rookies LeGarrette Blount and Stafon Johnson take the field with the veterans.