With Bengals receiver Chad Johnson finally admitting that he wants out of Cincinnati, and indicating that he won’t show up for mandatory offseason activities and training camp, the question becomes whether he’ll make good on the threat.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a failure by Johnson to report for mandatory activities will allow the team to impose daily fines in excess of $14,000. Also, the Bengals will be able to attempt to recover a prorated portion of Johnson’s signing bonus, in the equivalent of 25 percent of the bonus allocation applicable to the 2008 season or an amount equal to 1/17th of the total 2008 allocation for each game missed.
If Johnson fails to report before the tenth week of the regular season, his entire contract would toll for a year, giving the Bengals his rights through the 2012 season. Currently, he is under contract through 2011.
Even if Johnson reports before Week Ten and receives credit under the contract for the 2008 season, the Bengals would be able to recover 9/17th of his signing bonus allocation, and more than $14,000 per day for each day that he fails to report, even after the regular season begins. Obviously, he also would forfeit game checks.
So as to Johnson’s vow to hold out, we’ll believe it when we see it.
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April 16th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
i just cant understand, unless they’re posturing to get more in return for chad, why the bengals wouldnt trade him. if he truly doesnt want to be there, it’s not only about his body being at camp or in the games, but if he doesnt want to be there, hes gonna continue to complain and not play hard. if the bengals were smart (which they’re not), they would just get the most out of him before he becomes so bad they have to cut him and get no compensation for a great offensive weapon.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Chad, shut up and play.
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Rating: 4.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Well, Chad will play or sit. Either way you know he won’t shut up.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
will stiller43 its not that easy. we would take a 8 mill. cap hit if we trade are cut him. we cant afford that. trust me he would be gone by now. but that cap hit would just kill us we would have to cut players just to trade him so hes not going anywhere.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
This happens every year where a high profile player threatens not to play at all, last year it was Lance Briggs, but when those checks start being taken away, they show up…..and Cincy knows that they can get much more for him by trading him now, but also understand the pride that these business owners have by not wanting the inmates to run the prison….
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
There are starving children in the world, but he’s willing to pay $14,000/day because he doesn’t like the franchise that pays him a salary of nearly 8 figures???
Here’s to hoping when he does finally get traded, he is crunched on his first play from scrimmage and has to work at Burger King because he spent his signing bonus on fines from the Bungles.
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Rating: 2.4 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
The Eagles 1st, Reggie Brown and Lito Sheppard.
I actually think the Bengals would be a better team for it.
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
stiller43/rosenhaus,
the reason (apart from cap hit) is there could be a much bigger cost to the team if anybody who is under contract and wants to be traded just has to act like an ass to get it done. and the cost goes beyond the bengals to the rest of the league, so I guarantee the the other owners would be pissed about a trade (outside of jerry jones who would be first in line).
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
whodey is right…
The Bengals would love to get rid of Chad before he muddles this season, but it isnt possible financially to move him. The cap hit cant be shared by the team picking him up, so the Bengals would be stuck with about 8 mil of dead space. They would have to then cut current players to work that out.
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
yeah we can’t trade him….there are no garuntees that he’ll play though, even when he is losing the money. He has always gone to crazy levels to prove points…why would this be different?
I mean, we’ve already confirmed he’s stupid…why prove people wrong by actually playing?
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
whodeydoggy has it right. The Bengals will have spent right up to the cap (as they do every year) after signing their 10 (yes, 10) draft picks and keeping an injury allotment (which came in handy last year), so taking 8 mil off the books would mean cutting players and/or not signing their draft picks. Trading him for players who will demand new contracts (Lito) or draft picks will just create more mouths to feed from a cap that will already be $8 mil short. So that’s not possible. Chad CAN’T go anywhere. Not because it’s bad business or because the Bengals are stupid or stubborn or because Mike Brown is cheap. It’s because unless there was some way to have the team trading for Chad to absorb some of the cap (which isn’t possible due to the CBA), it CAN’T be done. He will sit or play. The Bengals will not cut players or not sign draft picks because Chad wants out. Drew needs to explain this to his client. Because nothing else is getting through to him…
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Quite frankly, as a long time Bengals fan, it’s pretty clear where this is going - - - straight down ugly street. The Bengals let Chad get away with his childish antics until he felt like he could do whatever we wanted. Suddenly he can’t have his way and so he’s throwing tantrums all over the place. ESPN has facilitated Chad by giving him a platform whenever he wants it with all of the former players employed there patting him on the back and telling him how mis-treated he is in Cincy. (I’d like to be mistreated with that kind of money!) If he doesn’t want to play in Cincy this year then okay. But his contract says play here or nowhere. I hope the Bengals let him sit in time-out for the whole season.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 16th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Senor Stinko doesn’t have the brains God gave a goose. What color is the sky in your world, Ocho? Let’s all chip in and buy him a clue. Putz.
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April 17th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Maybe the Cincinnati Bengals should just trade him and get what they can.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 1:51 am
1 team takes home the trophy…31 do not…whether he plays, sits, cries, pouts…the Bengals won’t win the trophy anyway…so whats the point of paying this guy anything more than you have to? They should let him rot on the bench like Jerry Porter. And publicly humiliate him at every opportunity.
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April 17th, 2008 at 1:54 am
If Chad really only cared about being on a team that could “win a Super Bowl,” I really don’t see what the problem is. He is in perfect situation in Cincinnati to do so. They are a couple players short of being fully capable of winning their division. If things fall into place in the draft, Ellis or Dorsey could easily fall into Cincy’s lap at pick #9. Use their second round pick #46 to grab a running back such as Johnson from ECU, Rice from Rutgers, or Jones from UCF. After this, Cincy could hope an athletic prospect linebacker falls to them in the third round. Chad wake up man! This team could be a contender. Are you forgetting you are on the same team as Palmer and TJH??? Two guys who really do make you look better than you really are.
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April 17th, 2008 at 1:55 am
If Chad really only cared about being on a team that could “win a Super Bowl,” I really don’t see what the problem is. He is in perfect situation in Cincinnati to do so. They are a couple players short of being fully capable of winning their division. If things fall into place in the draft, Ellis or Dorsey could easily fall into Cincy’s lap at pick #9. Use their second round pick #46 to grab a running back such as Johnson from ECU, Rice from Rutgers, or Jones from UCF. After this, Cincy could hope an athletic prospect linebacker falls to them in the third round. Chad wake up man! This team could be a contender. Are you forgetting you are on the same team as Palmer and TJH??? Two guys who really do make you look better than you are???
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 6:05 am
Last I heard Cincy was 16 Mil UNDER the cap. I have not been in school in a long time but 16-8 leaves 8 and removes a headache from your team.
Plenty of teams willing to take him off your hands and with all the help this teams needs on and off the field, I would take them up on it. CJ is 29 and does not want to be there.
I say buh bye!
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 9:00 am
The Bengals would be fools to keep him around. They need to clean house anyway. Delaying this one is stupid. Then again, that would be typical of Mike Brown and the whole Bengal organization. They should get a 2nd round pick for him and be done with him.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Call his bluff. Stay home or play the game. Honor your contract you selfish man.
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I actually think it will improve team moral to sit this guy. His team has had to listen to Chad Johnson’s ego for years. What motivation to prove you can do better with him gone. He blew their chance at a playoff win with his me first attitude. Now that same ego is gonna get checked. I sure hope they sit this clown.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 17th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Once again for all of the “He can’t be cut due to the 8 mil hit” people. The hit can be spread out over 2 years and the total amount lessens due to him not participating certain team activities. However, I do think Cincy would be crazy to cut him without getting anything in return. Plus, Johnson has nothing to stand on. He either plays, or he adds a year to his time in Cincy.
Finally, who was the last “big” name player that sat out the season and didn’t sign? How long did they last? CJ has nothing on his side. His best bet would be to participate in required activities and dog it. He would be a burden to the team also meet the requirements to obtain his salary and tick the time off of his contract. The Bengals couldn’t afford to have a high priced slug on his team, so they would be forced to cut him. However, believe it or not, respect for fellow teammates never seems to allow this behavior to exist, and I don’t have any confidence in Chad’s mental fortitude to pull off such a stunt. So…. He’ll sign when the $$$ fines start to add up and be a good soldier.
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April 17th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Dear Chad Johnson,
Eat sh!t & die.
Love,
Marvin Lewis
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)