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Bengals to Redskins: OHcho NOcho on Chad Johnson Trade

You must have known this was coming, Redskins fans. This is Washington. We’re talking Redskins. You were braced for a Snyder Special, weren’t you?

Chris Mortensen on ESPN and Jason LaCanfora at The Washington Post report that the Redskins offered the Cincinnati Bengals their first round 2008 draft pick and future third round pick for the Bengals talented, disgruntled wide receiver Chad Johnson.

The Bengals turned the deal down flat, selfishly denying the Skins a shot at a “T.O.” experience. Well, why should Bengals’ fans hog all the fun once enjoyed by the Iggles? I thought we were the hogs around here.

Redskins tip their hand

It’s an open secret that the Redskins targeted Chad Johnson. He is the big [6-1] receiver the Redskin feel they lack. He’s caught at least 90 passes for over 1300 yards per season since 2003. Johnson scored 43 touchdowns in that span.

But, this year’s first round pick and next year’s conditional third rounder that could escalate to a first round pick for a 30 year old receiver? That offer says a lot about the Redskins.

Danny VinZorn must believe the Redskins are one receiver away from the Super Bowl.

The Redskins haven’t actually proven that on the field. You can fairly say the Skins are good enough to make the playoffs and maybe win a game, as long as they don’t play the Seahawks.

The Redskins lost at least four games last season that they should have won. The won ugly against two teams [Dolphins, Jets] that should have been patsies. They lost ugly against the Patriots when Sean Taylor was still with us.

Pass pressure and holes in the secondary are issues Johnson won’t fix. Run blocking on the right side of the offensive line is an issue Johnson won’t fix.

Washington is a talented team. Our starters can play with anyone. The Giants didn’t win the win the Super Bowl with better starters than Washington. They won because of better depth than Washington. 

You attack depth with draft picks.

The New England example

The Patriots won the AFC and terrorized the league when they upgraded their receivers with Randy Moss.

If Daniel Snyder is using that example as a guide, he is reading the wrong lessons again. 

VALUE: Unlike Cincinnati, Oakland was actively shopping Moss. The Patriots only gave up a cheap fourth round pick to make the trade happen with the team too eager to dump Moss. For his part, Moss was so eager to join New England that he took a pay cut, or rather, restructured his contract, to make the deal happen.

INTANGIBLE: Moss walked in to a situation with a no-nonsense head coach and a strong locker room. Washington’s Jim Zorn is just working out how to be a head coach. His relationship with his team has yet to develop. For all his talent, Chad Johnson is a wild card.

Zorn would have to man-up to face that challenge. I must say that Zorn’s personality strikes me as closer to Norv Turner than to Bill Belichick. 

DEPTH: Even for New England, one man did not make a difference. Wes Welker was also a big part of the Patriots’ success. With Johnson on the roster, Tana Moss would slide to No. 2 receiver and Twaan Randle El would shift to the slot, where Welker found success.

Reche Caldwell became expendable when Moss and Welker signed with New England. Caldwell made some noise with the Redskins when they gave him a chance to play. Yet, the Skins failed to keep him – that depth thing again. With or without Johnson, quality receiving depth is hard to find. 

Did Washington skimp in contract offers to Caldwell and Keenan McCardell to make room for the $21 million offer to Johnson?

DRAFT: Unlike Washington, New England hoards draft picks. The Patriots had twelve draft picks over seven rounds last season. Three were traded, one was the deal for Moss; another in a swap for the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft. 

That’s instructive. Even when they deal, the Patriots protect their draft picks. Who knew last April that New England would be sanctioned with their first round pick in the upcoming draft. With the seventh overall pick, New England will hardly feel the loss.

Closer to home, the 13-3 Dallas Cowboys have two first round picks this year, the 22nd and 28th overall pick. They are in a far better position to deal for Johnson and protect their future than the Redskins.

Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens in the same locker room with Drew Rosenhaus between them and Jerry Jones. Now, that’s entertainment.

No doesn’t mean no 

Here’s how you deal with Daniel Snyder. Just say no and wait for him to throw in more draft picks until you “surrender.” There’s plenty of time between now and draft day for the Skins to sweeten the deal. There’s every reason for the Bengals to wait and see what else rolls their way.

If nothing else comes their way, they could say yes right before the Redskins make their pick.

The thought that this deal could still go through turns me white with fright.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 8:12 pm and is filed under Chad Johnson, Washington Redskins Trade, Redskins, Washington Redskins, Daniel Snyder. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.