Titans to Do More with Johnson In '09

Chris Johnson's rookie season was better than anyone could have hoped, as he rushed for 1,228 yards, was second on the team in receptions and proved to be one of the best big-play backs in the league.

But he might be even more useful in 2009.

The Titans had come into the season planning to use Johnson in multiple ways, including splitting him out as a wide receiver. But when the season rolled around, Johnson was so good at tailback that they scrapped the plans to use him as a Swiss army knife and made him a scalpel instead.

But if Paul Kuharsky, who has a pretty good bead on the Titans, is right, Tennessee will get more creative with Johnson this year.

Tennessee doesn't have to use Johnson as a wideout much--he's too valuable as a running back--but the thought of starting him as a tailback and motioning him into a wideout role and a potential mismatch sounds very appealing. And any other roles the Titans give Johnson just ensures that opposing defensive coordinators will have something else to worry about.