Redskins Interested In Ocho Cinco, Who's Interested In Big New Contract

Jason La Canfora from the Washington Post reports that the Washington Redskins have had internal discussions about acquiring recently troublesome Cincinatti Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson. "Numerous league sources, including some with direct knowledge of conversations between (Daniel) Snyder, (Vinny) Cerrato and recent head coaching candidates, have affirmed that the Redskins have interest in trading for Cincinati wide receiver Chad Johnson, with two league sources saying Johnson is eager to land a hefty new contract from Washington." Running his mouth for the greater part of a month to anyone who will listen, Johnson clearly wants out of Cincinatti, and "his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is working quietly to broker a deal, the sources said." Rosenhaus was able to work the back channels in a similar fasion in 2004 by brokering a blockbuster deal where the Denver Broncos sent his unhappy client Clinton Portis to the Redskins for cornerback Champ Bailey. Both players were angling for new contracts, and neither team that drafted them wanted to pay the asking price. Both went on to sign the richest deals in history (at the time) for a player at their respective position.

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Acquring Ocho Cinco would provide the Redskins with a dynamic receiver opposite the Napoleonic Santana Moss, whom Washington acquired in a 2005 trade with the Jets, parting ways with free agent bust Laveranues Coles. Pairing the 6'1" Johnson with the 5'10" Moss would allow Washington to stretch both sides of the field at once, while also providing an additional consistent threat for former 1st round pick quarterback Jason Campbell. It would most likely also cost the Redskins a boatload of money, as Johnson is reportedly unhappy with the 6-year $35.5 million contract he signed with the Bengals in 2006, and the 'Skins are reportedly willing to pony up significant dough as part of any new deal.

Trading for Johnson would allow the Redskins to dump the dissapointing Brandon Lloyd, after they gave up a 2006 3rd rounder and 2007 4th rounder in a 2006 trade with the San Francisco 49ers, and then awarded him a 6-year $30 million contract, with $12 million of that guaranteed, which seems like an incredible deal for a players with 25 catches and 0 touchdowns over the past 2 years, and is another endorsement of the brilliance of the Snyder/Cerrato tandem. A move for Ocho Cinco would also then allow Washington use tight end Chris Cooley as a $5 million a year 3rd receiver/tight end, and Antwaan Randle El as a $4.5 million a year 4th receiver.