Ocho Cinco may be coming to Washington? Dios mio.
Redskins owner Dan Snyder is back in business with stacks of cash to spend and draft picks to swap. No more listening to departed coach Joe Gibbs’ common sense on building a team. Snyder is now free to do what he loves most — wheel and deal.
The Redskins desperately need a tall receiver. Chad Johnsondesperately wants lots of money, which Snyder will offer gladly along with at least a first-round pick plus a second or third to the Bengals.
Johnson smells that money. Sure the receiver has two more years on his contract with Cincinnati, but that’s loser talk. Snyder and Johnson will figure a way to exchange tiger stripes for maroon and black, uh burgundy and gold.
Washington’s offseason has already been a circus — they might as well get a lead clown. Johnson will excite fans and torment them, too. He’s a lot of talk, but at least he can back it up.
The downside to Johnson is becoming a possible distraction to first-year coach Jim Zorn, who already has lots to worry about without Ocho Cinco lobbying for more passes in the owner’s office. Bruce Smith and Jeff George wore a path to Snyder’s couch in 2000 to undermine coach Norv Turner.
But, if that’s the only downside, Johnson is worth the hassle. He caught 93 balls last year and at least 87 in each of the past five seasons. Johnson is a deep threat with 43 touchdowns and 31 receptions of 40-plus yards since 2003. The Redskins have nothing that touches that. It’s what Michael Westbrook was supposed to be.
Johnson is the “wow” factor that sells tickets and T-shirts. He’ll thrive in the West Coast Office and quarterback Jason Campbell has long searched for a taller receiver like 6-foot-1 Johnson.
If the price isn’t crazy, the Redskins would be dumb not to trade for Johnson. But here’s where the Redskins, sans a real general manager, are vulnerable: Snyder always gets too excited around the star players and overspends. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, the Redskins defensive coordinator in 2002, knows it. So does Johnson’s agent, Drew Rosehaus.
A first- and third-rounder would be good because the Redskins won’t get a great player with their 21st overall pick and the latter-round selections rarely work for them. Washington will need to rework Johnson’s deal to seven years for salary cap reasons with a potential $20 million bonus. Now you know why parking is $35. The only scary part is Johnson’s age — 31. He probably has three good years left.
Signing Johnson means cutting a prominent player for salary cap reasons just like Brian Mitchell was sacrificed for Deion Sanders in 2000. The first one to go will be the old ocho cinco — Brandon Lloyd.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
