Titans running back Chris Johnson said this week he did not know whether his future included Tennessee. It's not hard to understand why.

The Titans have a five-day window after this season's Super Bowl, from Feb. 4 until Feb. 9, in which they can cut Johnson at no cost against their salary cap next season.

If Johnson is on the Titans' roster after Feb. 9, $9 million of his $10 million salary for the 2013 season will become guaranteed. It now becomes one of the biggest decisions the franchise will make this offseason, and one that will shape the Titans for seasons to come.

Johnson last week became just the eighth player in NFL history to run for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first five seasons, topping the plateau in Sunday's loss to Indianapolis. The others in that category are Barry Sanders, Curtis Martin, Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett, Corey Dillon, Eddie George and LaDainian Tomlinson.

Johnson has missed only one game in his five seasons, and that came in 2008 when the Titans sat him for the regular season finale to protect him for the playoffs in his rookie season.

He is averaging 4.7 yards on his 223 carries for 1,037 yards for the season, seventh in the NFL.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.