BENGALS BENCH CHAD

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson won’t play in Thursday night’s game against the Steelers, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Johnson is being deactivated for violating a team rule. Chris Henry or Glenn Holt will start in place of Johnson, across from T.J. Houshmandzadeh. After Johnson’s offseason antics, which included a near-continuous attempt to finagle a trade, Johnson was told that, if he behaves during the 2008 season, the team will consider giving him yet another contract extension. His most recent misdeed, whatever it was, could be enough to get the team to refuse to give him more money. Coincidentally, agent Drew Rosenhaus addressed Johnson’s subpar performance during a visit with Joe Rose of WQAM in Miami. “Tonight’s a big game for Chad, because it’s a national TV game,” Rosenhaus said. “It’s been a tough year for Chad. It went south really when Carson Palmer got injured. . . . As far as Chad getting a new contract or being traded, you know, the bottom line is this: I can’t objectively look at Chad’s season this year and say that he can be held responsible for the fact that he hasn’t had the kind of production that he’s had in the past, because of the quarterback play.” But, frankly, Chad can and will be held responsible for whatever he did that prompted the team to sit him down for Thursday night’s game.