Ochocinco Discusses His Future With the Bengals

by Jason Garrison on Dec 21, 2010 5:26 PM EST

On the T.Ocho show tonight, Chad Ochocinco, who will be flying solo because Terrell Owens is recovering from knee surgery, will be addressing his thoughts on TO's future, and his own, with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Says Ochocinco about next season: "I’d love to see Terrell come back next year. As far as myself, I don’t even know if I’ll be back next year. … Changes will be made and they’ll be significant."

The Bengals passing offense, which ranks at No. 13 in the NFL in passing yards per game with 228.1, was expected to explode this season compared to the 2009 season due to the signing of TO and the acquisition of Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham in the draft. Even though the Bengals improved from their ranking of No. 26 in passing yards per game from 2009, they never took off like many expected they would.

This combined with a current 3-11 record and a last place spot in the AFC will cause, many believe, wide sweeping changes in the Bengals from top to bottom. Analysts, fans and now even players are beginning to see that no one has a future with the Cincinnati Bengals that is set in stone.

Publicly, during his weekly Wednesday locker room sessions, Ochocinco has sounded somewhat confident about being back next year (even when others have said it is unlikely the club would pick up the $6 million option). So, this is at least the first public statement where 85 is acknowledging that a tidal wave of changes are coming. It’s also a public acknowledgement by Ochocinco that his powers of influence inside the organization are no longer there.

After six years of having more than 1,100 yards receiving, Ochocinco has only had a 1,000-yard receiving season once in the past three years (1,047 yards in 2009). As we've seen with quarterback-wide receiver duos like Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark or Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson, among others, is that when a quarterback and a wide receiver are given time to play together for a few years, usually they get better together. Ochocinco and Palmer, who seemed to be on the same page, especially from 2003-07,are seemingly now be reading separate playbooks.

It may be fairly unlikely that Palmer leaves Cincinnati, at least by next season, but Ochocinco parting ways with the Queen City may be in the cards a lot sooner than most of us would have thought.

The see what Chad says about his future in Cincinnati, tune into the T.Ocho Show tonight at 10:30 on Versus.

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Go to a winning team Ocho.

Staying here won’t win you a ring.

by TCfromDubVee on Dec 21, 2010 5:47 PM EST reply actions

all biases I have against Chad aside

I think we need to start building for 2012 and Chad will be 34 during that season. Let’s cut ties now and start developing Simpson, Caldwell, and whoever else we can get for the future.

Moisture is the essense of wetness, and wetness is the essense of beauty.

by Blue Steel on Dec 21, 2010 6:13 PM EST reply actions

Chad and Palmer

were never the same after Chad’s out burst a couple years ago. When he demanded a new contract. I alway’s thought that Chad’s reaction to no deal would be to give less than 100% effort on the field and I think that is exactly what he has done.

As for keeping Palmer or not, think it will be tough to keep him at $11.5 million next year. Not with his on-field production. Of course he might make a case for himself over the next two games if Caldwell and Simpson light it up against two high quality opponents in the Bolts and Birds. Should that happen, it would suggest that Palmer’s troubles were due to the wide-outs. But I don’t think much will change, the year will end with a wimper and Palmer will be gone once they draft a QB in round 1.

by BENGALS69 on Dec 21, 2010 6:23 PM EST reply actions

Everyone keeps talking about the $6 million option...

It’s a $2.5 million option in essence, though. He gets 3.5 even if he leaves.

"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428

by sexsalad on Dec 21, 2010 6:57 PM EST reply actions

Well of course drastic changes are going to be made.

But not likely on Browns part. Anyone who has a right to exercise freedom from Cincinnati will likely use it to their fullest ability,

Marvin Lewis, Cedric Benson, Terrell Owens, Jonathan Joseph, etc… etc.. etc..

Anyone who can get out will not likely take the first offer and any offer the Bengals offer them to stay. I think Mike Brown needs be walked out on by the people that he’s employed from the inside. Loyalty? Mike needs his “loyal” employees to look at him and say “You’re an idiot and I refuse to be apart of your madness” and then slam the door that opens and closes the front office.

by JamesShively on Dec 21, 2010 7:25 PM EST reply actions

50/50

He’s definitely worth $6 million still. If it hadn’t been for Carson Palmer’s strange love affair with TO then Chad’s numbers would be higher this year. I haven’t noticed a drop off in his skills one bit. He still has the best feet in the league and is as good a route-runner as I’ve ever seen. If we draft AJ Green I think it would be great to keep Chad for another year to have him as a mentor – Say what you want about Chad, but young players really love being around him.

At the same time, I would not blame Chad at all if he wanted to get out and begged for his option to not be picked up. He only has a few years left and is one fo the few players on this team I know without any doubt REALLY REALLY REALLY wants to win a championship more than anything in the world. Best case scenario this team is 5 years away from any dream of that, so if Chad wants to move on I’ll cheer for him no matter what uniform he’s wearing…as long as it’s not black and gold…

by eric nyc on Dec 21, 2010 8:48 PM EST reply actions

While I like the idea of Chad mentoring

The theory has 2 fundamental problems

1. So long as he is paid, he will start (Simpson was drafted high, but only now does he really have a possibility of getting out there)

2. You think he wants to be here for one year just to train his replacement. I have my doubts

Heeeeey, Ochocinco, he's a good guy, no?

by bill schwab on Dec 21, 2010 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

You guys think Boomer is bad at bashing Cincinnati.

Wait until Chad get’s out of here. If he gets a job broadcasting on a major network….Shoot…We can surely look foward to dreading pre-game shows.

by JamesShively on Dec 21, 2010 9:00 PM EST reply actions

If it embarrasses Mikey into making the needed changes, I’ll live with it.

by FriarBob on Dec 22, 2010 1:02 AM EST up reply actions

We still keep him IMO

he still draws the coverage,hence TO’s stats being so good,i dont think he has lost a step,I think he is somewhat dejected but a change in philosophy could bring out the best in him. I also think that we need a guy who commands opponents respect to free up Shipley,who as much as he is one of my faves,im not saying he is a no 1 WR.

by pilks1075 on Dec 22, 2010 5:34 AM EST reply actions