John Clayton: Former Bengals reciever T.J. Houshmandzadeh is going to Seattle

by Kirkendall on Mar 2, 2009 6:16 PM EST in Contracts Comment 26 comments

[UPDATE: The ESPN piece breaking the story cited figures now]

Sources told ESPN's Michael Smith the deal was worth more than $40 million for five years, with more than $15 million guaranteed.

Well, not that it mattered if Houshmandzadeh was in Seattle, or if his agent denies or not, it's all but announced that after much speculation Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday and most of Monday, the news has finally broke. The Seattle Seahawks signed former Bengals wide receiver (yes, now former) T.J. Houshmandzadeh to a deal on Monday, writes John Clayton. Several teams were, at one point, considered that included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Seattle Seahawks as well as the Minnesota Vikings. The finalists were down to Minnesota, Seattle and Cincinnati.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh closes his Cincinnati Bengals career with 507 receptions, 5,782 yards receiving and 37 touchdowns. In his past three seasons, Houshmandzadeh recorded 294 receptions, 3,128 yards receiving and 25 touchdowns; that averages out to 98 receptions, 1,043 yards receiving and eight touchdowns per season.

A tribute.

The Bengals will resume their perspective depth chart search to find wide receivers that could fill the void. As of right now, there are now seven wide receivers under contract for 2009.

Chad Johnson
Chris Henry
Andre Caldwell
Antonio Chatman
Jerome Simpson
Mario Urrutia
Maurice Purify

Chad Johnson recorded his career worst season in 2008, and has been mentioned in trade rumors that Oil Slick (Drew Rosenhaus) has manipulated in a letter to all 32 teams. Caldwell has shown potential and Simpson makes Bengals fans really nervous that we blew the second-round pick in 2008. Antonio Chatman has dealt with several injuries recently and Chris Henry isn't very trusting with a history of legal issues. Mario Urrutia and Maurice Purify spent time on the practice squad last season and have no regular season experience.

Christ. Not a whole lot of positive there, is there?

The best news of all, we can actually resume our lives again and give our poor F5 key a frickin' break.

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Comments

This reads like

… a small market baseball team letting all their parts go so they can have a cheap team and break even. Sorta like the Reds.

by IFChris on Mar 2, 2009 6:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Caldwell

Is Caldwell or Henry going to be a strong No. 2 WR or should we be looking at the possibility of Coles taking that spot?

by CinBengal08 on Mar 2, 2009 6:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Coles visiting tomorrow...

…per Hobs. Dang but I gotta tell kirk everything LOL.

by BeerRun on Mar 2, 2009 6:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You've been claiming that for too long now!!

:-)

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Kirkendall on Mar 2, 2009 6:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hey...

…underemployment has its bennies. LOL

by BeerRun on Mar 2, 2009 6:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

we will miss ya T.J. good luck with yer new team and thanks for the memories

by cinbengal_85@yahoo.com on Mar 2, 2009 6:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

dont forget chad had a down year because of palmer bein out he will dominate in 09

by cinbengal_85@yahoo.com on Mar 2, 2009 6:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, but I still think Chad needs to be traded for the draft picks. Maybe pick up Coles- I mean, who’s he got to look forward to receiving passes from, Kellen Clemens?- and a Jeremy Maclin or Pat White in the draft.

by IgnatiusJReilly on Mar 2, 2009 6:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

TJ on Sportscenter any moment

by IgnatiusJReilly on Mar 2, 2009 6:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It was fun while it lasted..

Best of luck to TJ. Let’s not forget that we were all basically resigned to him leaving anyways. And on the positive side, maybe splitting up him and Chad will be best for the locker room?

Fave TJ moment: Shining his shoes with the Terrible Towel in ’05

by Adam Morgan on Mar 2, 2009 6:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

"Fave TJ moment: Shining his shoes with the Terrible Towel in ’05"

Agreed, +1

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Kirkendall on Mar 2, 2009 6:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"Let’s not forget that we were all basically resigned to him leaving anyways"

Agreed.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Kirkendall on Mar 2, 2009 6:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

did you see the tj interview on sportscenter

by cinbengal_85@yahoo.com on Mar 2, 2009 6:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Nope.

Do you have any bullet points?

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Kirkendall on Mar 2, 2009 6:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

TJ basically said he enjoyed his time in Cincy but that he felt Seattle was the best team for him right now. He said he loves Matt Hasselbeck, said he thinks he’s one of the best QBs in the league. He said Carson told him that he’d love to have him back but that he told TJ to do what’s best for him and his family. He also talked about how Seattle had an off year last year but that they have a long track record of winning their division. It sounded like he felt like there was a much better chance of going to the playoffs on a consistent basis in Seattle which is probably true. I can’t blame the guy for wanting to go the playoffs more often with his kind of talent.

by Adam Morgan on Mar 2, 2009 9:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Go to the Giants

Heck they sign everyone and it appears there committed to defense

"yeah so basically you got a qb with a bum elbow and ocho who is half spanish half retarded and thats it on offense eh"

- Wally, Best Friend/Giants Fan

by Ocho85 on Mar 2, 2009 11:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Everybody hates chad now but if he does well you will love him again.. i still have faith in THE OCHO

by cinbengal_85@yahoo.com on Mar 2, 2009 6:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I always had faith in Ocho, but something inside liked the professionalism of TJ. I really thought we had him locked up. Kind of still rattled he’s gone but like you guys said we sort of anticipated it weeks ago

"yeah so basically you got a qb with a bum elbow and ocho who is half spanish half retarded and thats it on offense eh"

- Wally, Best Friend/Giants Fan

by Ocho85 on Mar 2, 2009 6:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Those video tributes make me sad...

I forgot how good and professional TJ was when he had Palmer throwing to him. That backshoulder throw against Buffalo was a thing of beauty, as was his ad-hoc route for a a TD against the Cowboys. That kind of stuff can only happen with time – and now the Palmer is going to have to work really hard to build that kind of rapport with the new receiving corps.

TJ was a hella-good player. I wish him the best in Seattle.

"Ryan, Things in here don't react too well to bullets." - Marko Ramius

by TarZander on Mar 2, 2009 7:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

adam morgan and kirkendall hahah

are u kidding me?? it was also one of my fav moments when tj did that b/c which team kicked ur ass in the Afc wild card hehehe
DONT EVER BASH ON MYRON COPES TERRIBLE TOWL
just looked what happened to the titans….

by 2005steelers4life on Mar 2, 2009 7:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Real classy,...

and didn’t the Ravens beat the Titans? What does Bullock stomping on a terrible towel have to do with the Ravens eeking out a close game agains the Titans in the playoffs? Do the Ravens draw some mysterious power from the Terrible Towel now? Your logic befuddles me.

Had Pittsburgh gone to Tennessee in the Championship Game, I think the Titans would be super bowl victors. Just like if it was Big Ben’s knee that was turned inside out (rather than Carson’s) in 2005, the Bengals would have won that wild card game. Oh well. It’s a new season now. Here’s to the Steelers having a two-decade long losing streak.

"Ryan, Things in here don't react too well to bullets." - Marko Ramius

by TarZander on Mar 2, 2009 7:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs