Though he’s not (yet) clamoring publicly for a trade, Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco has taken a page from last year’s offseason playbook, boycotting the start of the team’s offseason training program.
According to our friends at 1530 Homer, Ochocinco isn’t present.
Quarterback Carson Palmer spoke as if he doesn’t expect Ochocinco to arrive.
“I’m not worried about him, I’m worried about the guys we have here,” Palmer said. “The guys that want to be here and want to work hard are the guys that are here now and here this [offseason] and I don’t worry about anyone else.”
The situation is a bit confusing, since Ochocinco said during Super Bowl week that he’d take part in all offseason activities.
To make matters worse, Ochocinco has been incommunicado, at least with respect to Palmer.
It was widely believed that Ochocinco tried to get out last year because he wanted a new contract. He opted not to boycott mandatory activities or training camp, presumably because he didn’t want to risk owing a refund of previously-paid signing bonus money, along with the five-figure daily fines.
And we’d heard that the Bengals ultimately told Ochocinco that, if he behaved in 2008, they’d talk to him about a new contract. Since he has yet to get that new contract, his only leverage is precisely what it was a year ago — withholding his services from any non-mandatory activities.
Johnson Ochocinco is due to earn a base salary of $4.5 million in 2009. Though it had been our previous understanding that he is signed only through 2010, NFLPA records show that he is under contract through 2011.
There’s a possibility that he has a voidable year in his contract, which would make the final season evaporate.
No Sign Of Ochocinco In Cincinnati
Posted by Mike Florio on March 30, 2009, 1:15 PM EDT
26 Responses to “No Sign Of Ochocinco In Cincinnati”
Great. Dont start with this Florio. He’ll be there earlier than last year. Just not right in the begining. He is at the Phenom Factory in CA
I think it’s very possible there will be a draft day trade involving Ochocinco. The Bengals used three pricks on wide outs last year (Jerome Simpson in the second round, Andre Caldwell in the third, Mario Urrutia in the seventh) and signed Laveranues Coles recently creating a logjam of players at the position.
It would be hardly justifiable for the their second and third round investment to only be contending for the third or fourth wide out position with Antonio Chatman and Chris Henry.
Then again if the Bengals do trade Chad Johnson it will not be for the same value of the first rounder and conditional pick the Redskins offered last year.
Time to 86 number 85, Ocho listen to your inner “Joey Galloway” Tom…Tom Brady..
Brady long pass to Ocho, come to New England, Moss, Welker……Gillette…..Super Bowls..
crazed fans….and…..Tom,Tom,Tom,Tom,Tom,Tom,Tom,
If Chad wanted to work out at the Phenom factory he should have done it earlier in the offseason like Simpson, Caldwell, Henry and Chatman did.
Also Carson not communicating with Chad at all is not a good sign. Last season Carson was trying to call Chad all offseason but Chad wouldn’t return his calls, now it appears that Carson is done trying to make the relationship work. At this point cut your losses and trade Chad…
“The situation is a bit confusing, since Ochocinco said during Super Bowl week that he’d take part in all offseason activities”
And since when has Chad BigOMouthO ever done what he’s promised to do?
He’s an immature brat who really needs to grow up.
“Johnson is due to earn a base salary of $4.5 million in 2009. Though it had been our previous understanding that he is signed only through 2010, NFLPA records show that he is under contract through 2011.”
———————
Who’s “Johnson”?
Just because he changed his name to Ochocinco doesn’t mean we don’t remember that he is a JOHNSON!
Is it legal to refer to him as Johnson? Even though we all know he is a johnson.
Hmmm you’d think ol’ Ochocinco would feel right at home since Cincinnati is right on the border.
Seriously though who doesn’t want to see him traded to houston san Diego or Dallas? He can single handedly offend 3/4 of the population
check the local mcdonalds he loves that stuff.
L. Coles and Chris Henry will be more productive then Ochostinko. The guy SHOULD be traded!
I’m sorry.., can someone tell me why this is noteworthy? Chad Johnson / Ochocinco is no longer a relevent player. In the league of ‘What have you done lately’, he’s a ‘What ever happened to..’ guy. So what difference does it make if he’s there or not?
please start a “ocho cinco to the Giants rumor”
Can we all agree to just keep referring to him as Chad Johnson, not Ochocino? It’s just annoying to read that name over and over again.
please everyone try and remember that chad johnson is going to the hall of fame…can we say the same for ochocinco? this guy has made a mockery of the mockery that he already was. shawn merriman is the only bigger asshole mentioned so far today.
These voluntary workout things always remind me of the “pieces of flair” joke from Office Space.
If you want them to show up to the workouts then make them mandatory. Since these are voluntary it’s completely acceptable for them to not show, this isn’t news.
I heard Mankok and Marvin were working on a deal…
I’m going to assume you’re a Bengals fan. I will never understand why Bengals fans continue to tolerate this guy, let alone stick up for him. Can you please explain it to me, because I honestly don’t understand.
Let’s look at a few things he’s done:
Publicly asking to be traded for pretty much the entirety of the previous offseason.
Making the highlight reels on every network arguing with Carson Palmer during a game.
Starting a physical altercation with coaches during the halftime playoff game against Pittsburgh (the Bengals were leading at the time, by the way). Most Bengal fans like to place 100% of the blame on Kimo von Oelhoffen for taking out Palmer, but the truth is that the Bengals offense carved up the Steelers defense the entire first half, but then the entire team collapsed in the second half. We’ll never know how much of the problem was due to the insanity that Chad provided at halftime, but it certainly couldn’t have helped, and certainly isn’t the kind of thing anyone wants to see happen during the halftime of the first playoff game the team has been a part of in many years.
So Rocinante, what am I missing? Is it the whopping 540 yards and 4 TDs he contributed last season?
Well said mborz
didnt this guy admitt last year that his offseason antics played a huge role in his decreased production, and that he was back to “football”. some people never learn……
“Can we all agree to just keep referring to him as Chad Johnson, not Ochocino? It’s just annoying to read that name over and over again.”
But his name is Chad Ochocinco so.. I’m confused as to why you would want to do that…?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CHAD JOHNSON GETS TRADED TO ANOTHER TEAM AND IS FORCED TO WHERE A DIFFERENT NUMBER LIKE #81. NOW CHAD OCHO CINCO DOESN’T MATCH UP. HE IS AN IDIOT FOR CHANGING HIS NAME AND IT IS ANNOYING TO READ IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I AM A BIG BENGALS FAN BUT I GOT TO ADMIT HE HAS WORN ME OUT WITH HIS BULLS***. I DO THINK THEY NEED TO TRADE HIM. I HEAR THE EAGLES HAVE INTEREST AND THEY HAVE TWO FIRST ROUNDERS TO GIVE UP AT #21 AND #28. THEY COULD TAKE A WR AND TRADE JOHNSON. IF NOT IT COULD BE ANOTHER LONG YEAR WITH HIM. HE KEPT HIS MOUTH SHUT LAST YEAR BUT HIS NUMBER STUNK TO BUT THAT WAS INPART BECAUSE PALMER WENT DOWN AND THEY HAD FITZPATRICK THROUGHING THE BALL NO MORE THAN 10 YARS DOWN FIELD ALL YEAR.
What a clown. Needs to leave the natti ASAFP
Chad… Pack your bags and tampons and please get outta Cincy. Thanks for a few good years, you are now officially old, done, and possibly the most annoying person alive. Speaking of such, promptly pack Mikey Brown in your bags and take him too…
GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH!!!!!!!!!
Chad should now be known as Chad “The player formerly known as Johnson, who still acts like one” Ochocinco.
Names he should have used: Ocho Psyco and Pollo Loco.
I agree that next to nothing should be made of a player not being at voluntary workouts, but show your team you want to win and show up. He is on the downslide of his career and will have another crappy year. Do NOT alienate the pro bowl caliber QB who will be getting you the ball. I think the Bengals are prepared to deal him on draft day if they can somehow manage to finagle a 3rd or maybe even a 2nd round pick, but the other team would have to be some kind of sucker. He was injured last year, and played through it, for which I will give him credit, but he is limping home to the finish line of his career. Hopefully, it won’t be here.
And I am sorry to say that I didn’t want him traded last year to the Redskins to prove a point that no one is above the team, but that I was wrong. I will drive him to Washington for a 3rd round pick and a bag of rotten oranges at this point. He is more trouble than he is worth, and I feel sorry for any team that may possibly get him. He is a cancer even when he plays well.