Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes

Let me see if I have this straight:

Have there been any trade offers for Chad Johnson?
No.
Oh, wait. Yes there have.
The offer was 2 No. 1 draft picks from the Redskins?
No, it wasnt. That's errant.
Oh, wait. As a matter of fact, it was a No. 1 this year and a conditional No. 3 next, which could turn out to be a No. 1 if Chad meets Redskins incentives that were unspecified.

Come on.

How hard is it to simply answer "Yes'' to Question No. 1, politely decline to get into specifics and, you know, Move Forward? Instead, coach gets confused or misremembers or whatever, and PR department issues a release that clouds things further.

As far as I'm concerned, the Bengals should take the offer and juggle the caponomics. Instead, their intent is to call Johnson's bluff and see who blinks first. The club is banking on Chad's passion for the game and the fact he has nothing else going on in his life. And oh yeah, that even Chad will recognize that $3 mil is a lot of money.

Maybe, the club is right. But if Chad reports after eating every crow in America, how do you think his mood might be? Does anyone really believe a narcissist like Ocho Cinqo is going to let bygones be bygones and play with a clear head and purpose?

Does anyone else see a train wreck a-comin'?

So for a pound of Chad flesh, the Bengals are willing to potentially torpedo a season before it begins. Because they won't manage the cap, they're planning to keep Chad on board. If he chooses not to ride, they're out a Pro Bowl player and 2 high picks from the Redskins. And Chad still counts $8 million against the cap.

I'm sure this makes perfect sense to some. In fact, it being the Bengals and all, it does make sense. Sense being relative as it applies to the local professional football corporation.

So, hey, go with it. Chad sits, Bengals out a great talent, Bengals veto a couple high picks, season gets stupid earlier than usual. Can't wait for September.