Patriots failed to trade Chad Ochocinco, will release him

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 7, 2012, 3:55 PM EDT
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Chad Ochocinco is on the way out in New England.

The Patriots attempted to trade Ochocinco and weren’t able to find any takers, and as a result they’ll release him, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Ochocinco’s departure comes after just one season in New England, a season in which he contributed almost nothing to the offense: He caught just 15 passes for 276 yards in 2011.

The 34-year-old Ochocinco, who was once a Pro Bowler with the Bengals and a consistent 1,000-yard receiver, will now become an unrestricted free agent. Given that the Patriots weren’t able to find any takers on the trade market — and given his weak production in New England last season — he’s likely going to find few teams interested in his services in free agency.

Ochocinco joins Terrell Owens, Braylon Edwards and Plaxico Burress as once-productive veteran receivers who are now on the free agent market, and who seem to be viewed as more trouble than they’re worth by most NFL teams.

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68 responses to “Patriots failed to trade Chad Ochocinco, will release him”

  4. Makes sense that no one wanted a trade. Why bother when it’s clear he’s going to get cut anyway? Wait and THEN pick him up- if you want him in the first place, that is. If he plays the way he did last year, not many teams will want to throw money at him… he has a lot of impressing to do if anyone wants to pick him up, and probably is looking at a pay cut even then.

    …perhaps Denver could use a body at receiver? Probably not a great fit, but better than nothing- which is nearly what they have right now past Demaryus Thomas.

  6. Initially I was excited with the addition of Ocho but now it has to be one of the biggest busts of the Belichick era.

  9. Anyone remember when Vinny Cerrato tried to give Cincy two 1st round draft picks for this guy?

  10. I’d take Ochocinco on a one year contract in Buffalo, we need a sure #2 receiver and Chad might be able to do it with the right coaching from Gailey.

  17. .

    @webehighrollin

    So you’re looking for a sentence with Patriots and fail in it ? Try;

    Only a numbskull would fail to see that over the last decade the Patriots have the best record in the NFL.

    .

  19. I watched Ocho pick Brady’s brain all through training camp.

    I watched him stay late after practice and get extra reps in.

    I watched him squash all the distracting obnoxious public tendencies he had to try and fit in.

    I saw this guy try as hard as he possibly could to fit into a high powered offense so good that not even the fact that their highest profile wide receiver not knowing the playbook could stop it.

    And he just… couldn’t… do it. I don’t even know what else to say.

  20. Yes!!! The patriots just got way better. They will be beating down all your teams this season on the way back to the Super Bowl.

  23. Come on Carolina this is the piece that we need to make our Super Bowl run. Bring him in for a workout and then sign him.

  28. If its not a ‘9’ route, he just doesn’t “get” it. Wow, if you want to sign a deep threat who doesn’t have the wheels anymore, Chad’s you guy.

  30. Hurry Harbaugh…go get him!!! There’s another aging, head case, reality show diva WR available to join your niner crew!

  32. dexterismyhero says:Jun 7, 2012 4:04 PM

    There is a reality show in the making……Get those 4 together….No guns please Plax…

    ————–

    They used to be idiots that were great football players. That makes for good TV.

    Now they are just idiots. Not so good.

  34. I’d love to hear from all of those Skins fans who thought it would be such a great idea to give up two first-rounders for him. Mike Brown, thank you for saving us from Dan Snyder!

  35. he physically still has it, but couldn’t mentally get the hang of the pats offense. in another, simpler scheme he could be a productive #2 wideout

  36. Don’t need to worry about teams picking him up to try to pick his brain on the Patriots play book. Jets may still try it though.

  38. If Chad Ochocinco can not achieve success in the pass happy Patriots’ Offense, then what makes the Patriots believe they would secure a trade for his services? I guess it doesn’t hurt to try, but even non football fans in 3rd world countries know he was going to be released. So why make that trade for a WR who is all talk and no action at this point in his career?

  39. I think it’s safe to say his career is officially over. Now it’s time to change his last name back to Johnson.

  40. The Cardinals could use a #2 pretty badly… But I have a hard time seeing Whiz putting up with the Ochocircus

  42. @webehighrollin
    Patriots and Fail in the same sentence..get used to it!

    ______________

    Even if you are a Giants fan that is a really silly thing to say… perhaps your standards are a little high…

  43. Sadly, Chad has already hit his ceiling. The natural talent he depended on for success for so many years is leaving him with age.

    His best years are behind him no matter what team gets him. The well has gone dry.

    Good luck here on out, Chad.

  44. Initially I was excited with the addition of Ocho but now it has to be one of the biggest busts of the Belichick era.

    —————————————————-

    Bigger then Haynesworth?

  45. some idiot: “If he can’t last on the WR challenged Patriots, where can he survive?”

    Do you realize that Welker, Lloyd, Gaffney, Hernandez, and Gronkowski totaled almost 6,000 yards receiving LAST YEAR? I realize that two of those are tight ends, but Hernandez is used often as a WR and even Gronkowski is often split wide.

    Having 5 of the top 30 pass catchers in the league, by yards, is supposed to be weak? RIIIIIIIIIIGHT.

  46. I wouldnt say the Pats are WR challenged as they have Welker and Lloyd at WR which is a pretty damn good 1-2 combo, not to mention Hernandez is your #3 for all purposes a WR as well. Then you have Gaffney, who over the past 3 seasons has avergaged 60 rec and 800 yards.

  48. Bust? Hmmmmm… He got a fair shot and couldn’t win over Brady… BB and Ocho are buddies…nothing personal, only business!

  49. More trouble then he’s worth? He was a model citizen in NE. While is antics at times are a bit much, Chad has never been a bad person and hasn’t really had any off field issues.

  50. @JS1 yes I remember the alleged trade offer (every time it’s related it becomes more and higher picks) – though I heard it was a 1st with a conditional 3rd. It was a trade that would’ve absolutely destroyed the Bengals cap. It’s also forgotten that they won the division and made the playoffs with Ocho that year. But like so many things with the Bengals, it’s a dead horse that gets beaten up over and over again.

    Will be interesting to see where he ends up next. Hopefully a team that suits his strengths. I think N.E. was a grass is always greener sort of a thing for Ocho. Wouldn’t surprise me if he does better at his next stop.

    -QG

  51. Chad Uh-oh Spaghettios!!!!

    Kids, make sure you never have anyone enable you!!!

  52. Was he a poor fit for the Patriots, or does he simply not have anything left in the tank?

  53. Chad played his entire career with the Bungles, whose offensive game plan was to “go deep”.

    When he came to the Pats, he found it impossible to understand the offense that the Pats run. It’s like learning Calculus if you are bad at math.

    Anyway, he is still a good athlete but can only help a team that has a simple game plan, such as “go deep”.

    I nominate the Raiders.

  57. I hope he put a Super Bowl curse on the Patriots before he left the building…

  58. I wouldn’t say he was the biggest bust…I’d say that belongs to Joey Galloway, Monty Beisel, or Duane Starks.

    85 probably was the most expensive mistake, but not the biggest bust play-wise. He could have helped a bit more…he had the talent, but he couldn’t put it together to allow his teammates and coaches to trust him.

    He was the odd man out anyways…there’s no way he would have made it through camp with the team. It’s actually better now because he can catch on sooner. God knows he needs all the prep time to absorb the playbook.

  62. Does anyone saying the Raiders realize that Hue Jackson is gone? oh yea, and Al Davis is dead?

    2 years ago, possible. Last year, sure. This year , doubtful.

  65. “Do you realize that Welker, Lloyd, Gaffney, Hernandez, and Gronkowski totaled almost 6,000 yards receiving LAST YEAR? I realize that two of those are tight ends, but Hernandez is used often as a WR and even Gronkowski is often split wide.”

    Do YOU realize that Gaffney was on the Redskins last year? And the Broncos before that..

  67. 6ball says: Jun 7, 2012 4:05 PM

    @webehighrollin

    So you’re looking for a sentence with Patriots and fail in it ? Try;

    Only a numbskull would fail to see that over the last decade the Patriots have the best record in the NFL.
    ===================================

    Yes, but they spell numbskull J-E-T-S

  68. Plaxico got the rawest deal of all. Yes, one has to be an uber knucklehead to shoot oneself in the leg, but he didn’t deserve to lose his career.

    Plaxico deserves a shot.

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