"Seven tumultuous days ago, Larry Johnson walked into the Chiefs locker room with a firm grip on his job. He got himself in further trouble with the team, and a day later was told to go home.

As the 1-6 Chiefs enter another game week with plenty on their minds, the team will also decide if it would be better off with or without Johnson.

According to an industry source, the team considered releasing Johnson - who has a history of misbehavior - but was cautious of the precedent it might set. The Chiefs didn't want to send the message that, if a player wants out of Kansas City, all he has to do is speak out or act up to get his way.

The Chiefs have spent most of the past seven days trying to figure out how to react to Johnson's latest bout of poor judgment. He disparaged coach Todd Haley on a Twitter post, insulted some of his Twitter followers for not being rich, and used gay slurs in two separate public instances.

It's not out of the question that Johnson has played his final game with the Chiefs, and the next week will go a long way toward determining what happens next. Johnson is being watched.

According to the source, the Chiefs are keeping a close eye on Johnson and how he reacts to his two-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. The Chiefs also will be watching Kolby Smith, who runs with a similar style as Johnson but who has missed most of the last year while recovering from a major knee injury.

Before Johnson is eligible to return next Monday, a day after the Chiefs' game at Jacksonville, the team will turn its focus inward and try to answer some pressing questions. None is more pressing than this: What message would releasing Johnson send to the team's other players, who might be divided in their opinions of Johnson but could support him as a fellow member of the players' union?

The Chiefs also face a delicate balance: Weighing the value of perhaps the team's most talented player but also considering that Johnson is a polarizing figure whose words last week at least forced the Chiefs to consider what they'd really be losing - for better or worse - if they let Johnson go. Now, at least part of the team's decision will fall on Johnson's shoulders."