lamberts-lost-tooth
10-23-2007, 09:35 AM
Trade Chad? Lewis won't say
But Bengals star WR doesn't count out the possibility
BY MARK CURNUTTE
If the Bengals are thinking about trading Chad Johnson this offseason - as was reported over the weekend by ESPN - coach Marvin Lewis isn't tipping his hand.
On ESPN's pregame show Sunday, NFL reporter Chris Mortensen said that a "prominent member of the Bengals organization recently told me that the organization does have a decision to make on Chad Johnson, that he is so passionate and proud that if they decided to discipline him for some of those antics they believe he might shut it down.
"So how he finishes the rest of the year and the Bengals finish could bring them to a crossroads discussion on whether to even trade Chad Johnson in the offseason."
At his Monday news conference, less than 24 hours after the Bengals defeated the Jets 38-31, Lewis didn't directly answer this question: Is there any truth to reports you might be looking to trade Chad Johnson?
"Did that come from anyone here?" said Lewis, who is the Bengals' "one voice," per team policy, to the media.
Told by a reporter that ESPN cited an official inside the Bengals organization, Lewis said, "Is there a source inside this organization? Not the last time I checked. I don't think there (are) any sources inside this organization."
Did ESPN talk to you?
"No."
Johnson, chased down Monday by a half-dozen reporters in the players' parking lot adjacent to Paul Brown Stadium, didn't snuff out trade talk.
"There is always truth in something," Johnson said when asked about the report.
Johnson actually has been more low-key on the field than in previous seasons. True, he slipped on a homemade hall of fame jacket after a touchdown in the opener Sept. 10 and jumped into Cleveland's Dawg Pound on Sept. 16.
Since then, Johnson has largely been quiet, but there have been some other incidents.
During the Oct. 1 Bengals-Patriots game, Johnson and quarterback Carson Palmer were caught on national television arguing after an interception. Two weeks later, Palmer confronted Johnson on the field following another interception, leading to questions about whether Johnson ran the correct route.
After the convincing loss to New England, Lewis said some of his players needed to be less selfish and more mature and team-oriented.
Those comments were connected immediately to Johnson, based on the receiver's on-field behavior during the loss.
Now comes the report of a possible trade.
"It doesn't bother me. There is always truth to things that are said," Johnson said. "Always, there's always some truth to it."
Would you be surprised to be traded?
"No. No. Exactly, that's the business part of it," he said. "That wouldn't surprise me."
Johnson's contract might make a trade financially difficult for the Bengals. Johnson signed a minimum one-year extension in April 2006 that added a year to Johnson's contract, through 2010, and gave the Bengals an option for 2011.
Johnson was paid a $5 million signing bonus and a $5 million base salary for 2006. The Bengals have through 2010 to absorb $1 million per year of his signing bonus on their salary cap. If they traded him after the 2007 season, the Bengals would have to absorb the remaining $3 million on the cap in 2008.
Johnson's salary cap number this year is $7.515 million, the fourth largest on the team - behind Palmer ($13.48 million), defensive end Justin Smith ($8.64 million) and right offensive tackle Willie Anderson ($7.85 million).
Johnson has been stung by the comments that he is a selfish player and negatively affecting his team in the locker room.
Lewis defended his receiver Monday.
"He set out this year to block better. I'm very happy with that," Lewis said of Johnson. "And he's seen the ball get spread out more, and he's had no issue with that. He knows that in order for him to have the success he's having, we need to be able to do other things correctly.
"The biggest thing we continue to try to impress upon our guys ... is that the opportunities we want come from making first downs. If we don't convert on third down, I've told them, none of you are getting any shots at anything."
Johnson was stung, too, he said, after reading an Oct. 21 Enquirer column by Paul Daugherty questioning whether Johnson's antics were worth the trouble.
"And to write what he wrote (Sunday), which I'm sure all of you saw, you've got to be kidding. You've got to be kidding me. You've got to be kidding me. It is what it is," Johnson said of Daugherty, who wrote a book about Johnson last year.
"Everything I've done has always been positive, it's always been fun. It's never been a me, me, me thing. It's how Chad plays the game. ... I've been playing it the same way the past four years. I celebrate. I have fun with it. It is a dirty business. And to get the business side of it off my mind, I go out and have fun with it like I'm a little kid."
Johnson is having a solid season. He said he and fellow wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh were praised for their downfield blocking in the Jets game, when the Bengals ran for a season-high 177 yards. Johnson had six receptions against the Jets, and gained 102 yards, including a team long 56-yard catch. Johnson has 680 yards and three touchdown catches. Still, as a speed receiver, Johnson will turn 30 in January - an age when receivers often start to lose a step.
Johnson doesn't appear worried, if he should be traded, that he wouldn't be welcomed elsewhere.
"You know what's funny, every player - you've got 31 teams in the NFL beside us - every player, every coach loves 85," he said in reference to his jersey number. "I guarantee that. Every coach and every player would love to have 85 on their team because they know what I bring to the table."
But Bengals star WR doesn't count out the possibility
BY MARK CURNUTTE
If the Bengals are thinking about trading Chad Johnson this offseason - as was reported over the weekend by ESPN - coach Marvin Lewis isn't tipping his hand.
On ESPN's pregame show Sunday, NFL reporter Chris Mortensen said that a "prominent member of the Bengals organization recently told me that the organization does have a decision to make on Chad Johnson, that he is so passionate and proud that if they decided to discipline him for some of those antics they believe he might shut it down.
"So how he finishes the rest of the year and the Bengals finish could bring them to a crossroads discussion on whether to even trade Chad Johnson in the offseason."
At his Monday news conference, less than 24 hours after the Bengals defeated the Jets 38-31, Lewis didn't directly answer this question: Is there any truth to reports you might be looking to trade Chad Johnson?
"Did that come from anyone here?" said Lewis, who is the Bengals' "one voice," per team policy, to the media.
Told by a reporter that ESPN cited an official inside the Bengals organization, Lewis said, "Is there a source inside this organization? Not the last time I checked. I don't think there (are) any sources inside this organization."
Did ESPN talk to you?
"No."
Johnson, chased down Monday by a half-dozen reporters in the players' parking lot adjacent to Paul Brown Stadium, didn't snuff out trade talk.
"There is always truth in something," Johnson said when asked about the report.
Johnson actually has been more low-key on the field than in previous seasons. True, he slipped on a homemade hall of fame jacket after a touchdown in the opener Sept. 10 and jumped into Cleveland's Dawg Pound on Sept. 16.
Since then, Johnson has largely been quiet, but there have been some other incidents.
During the Oct. 1 Bengals-Patriots game, Johnson and quarterback Carson Palmer were caught on national television arguing after an interception. Two weeks later, Palmer confronted Johnson on the field following another interception, leading to questions about whether Johnson ran the correct route.
After the convincing loss to New England, Lewis said some of his players needed to be less selfish and more mature and team-oriented.
Those comments were connected immediately to Johnson, based on the receiver's on-field behavior during the loss.
Now comes the report of a possible trade.
"It doesn't bother me. There is always truth to things that are said," Johnson said. "Always, there's always some truth to it."
Would you be surprised to be traded?
"No. No. Exactly, that's the business part of it," he said. "That wouldn't surprise me."
Johnson's contract might make a trade financially difficult for the Bengals. Johnson signed a minimum one-year extension in April 2006 that added a year to Johnson's contract, through 2010, and gave the Bengals an option for 2011.
Johnson was paid a $5 million signing bonus and a $5 million base salary for 2006. The Bengals have through 2010 to absorb $1 million per year of his signing bonus on their salary cap. If they traded him after the 2007 season, the Bengals would have to absorb the remaining $3 million on the cap in 2008.
Johnson's salary cap number this year is $7.515 million, the fourth largest on the team - behind Palmer ($13.48 million), defensive end Justin Smith ($8.64 million) and right offensive tackle Willie Anderson ($7.85 million).
Johnson has been stung by the comments that he is a selfish player and negatively affecting his team in the locker room.
Lewis defended his receiver Monday.
"He set out this year to block better. I'm very happy with that," Lewis said of Johnson. "And he's seen the ball get spread out more, and he's had no issue with that. He knows that in order for him to have the success he's having, we need to be able to do other things correctly.
"The biggest thing we continue to try to impress upon our guys ... is that the opportunities we want come from making first downs. If we don't convert on third down, I've told them, none of you are getting any shots at anything."
Johnson was stung, too, he said, after reading an Oct. 21 Enquirer column by Paul Daugherty questioning whether Johnson's antics were worth the trouble.
"And to write what he wrote (Sunday), which I'm sure all of you saw, you've got to be kidding. You've got to be kidding me. You've got to be kidding me. It is what it is," Johnson said of Daugherty, who wrote a book about Johnson last year.
"Everything I've done has always been positive, it's always been fun. It's never been a me, me, me thing. It's how Chad plays the game. ... I've been playing it the same way the past four years. I celebrate. I have fun with it. It is a dirty business. And to get the business side of it off my mind, I go out and have fun with it like I'm a little kid."
Johnson is having a solid season. He said he and fellow wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh were praised for their downfield blocking in the Jets game, when the Bengals ran for a season-high 177 yards. Johnson had six receptions against the Jets, and gained 102 yards, including a team long 56-yard catch. Johnson has 680 yards and three touchdown catches. Still, as a speed receiver, Johnson will turn 30 in January - an age when receivers often start to lose a step.
Johnson doesn't appear worried, if he should be traded, that he wouldn't be welcomed elsewhere.
"You know what's funny, every player - you've got 31 teams in the NFL beside us - every player, every coach loves 85," he said in reference to his jersey number. "I guarantee that. Every coach and every player would love to have 85 on their team because they know what I bring to the table."