More on Chris Johnson as a Changed Football Player

This offseason has been a good one for Chris Johnson, and no one needed a better offseason than CJ. He went from one of the most popular Titans to one of the most hated almost over night. Playing with questionable effort after signing a big deal will do that to you.

Last offseason the stories were all about his holdout. This year, the stories have all been about how hard he is working. Yesterday I saw this story from Arthur Arkush of Pro Football Weekly. Here is what he had to say about CJ:

One team source said Johnson, who has added bulk this offseason after consistently shying away from contact in '11, is running harder than he was prior to his spectacular '09 season. Johnson, not known for his leadership qualities early in his career, is also setting an example for the younger players.

It is also important to read the next sentence of the story:

Of course, bouquets seem to land at the feet of every NFL player in May, June and July — we will soon find out whether C.J. can return to leaving defenders in the dust and climbing the ranks of the NFL's elite backs again.

I am trying my best to temper my expectations for this offense, but part of me is downright giddy about the possibilities.