Ochocinco Says He’ll Be At Minicamp

For the second straight year, Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco has boycotted all offseason workouts. His absence has fueled speculation that he still wants out of Cincinnati. But he’ll be there. “Of course, why not go and show off the product?” Ochocinco recently told Fran Charles of NFL Network. “Why not leave my coaches’ mouths wide open? I’m sure all the people in Cincinnati think I’m really not doing that much, but you’ll see the results with the work I’m putting in right now.” Specifically, Ochocinco has been training as a boxer. A boxer. It remains to be seen whether the approach gives any punch (groan) to his primary occupation. The bigger challenge, in our view, isn’t his body, but his mind. And we’ll all find out soon whether Ochocinco’s head is where it needs to be. With a healthy Carson Palmer, an underrated Laveranues Coles, and a gradually improving defense, the Bengals could be a surprise team this year. Much of their eventual success (or failure) hinges on Ochocinco’s ability to play at a high level again, and his desire to do so.