Ochocinco: I'm back: Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco is ready for a rebound year. Last year, with QB Carson Palmer out with an elbow injury, Ochocinco -- then just plain old Chad Johnson -- groused. He caught only 53 passes for 540 yards last season, after failing to force a trade. He skipped most of the voluntary workouts in the offseason, but showed up last week with a smile and an upbeat demeanor. "I'm back," Ochocinco said. "I can't explain it any other way. Before last year, this is how I was. I was good. I was happy. I'm good. It's going to be a great year. We're going to the playoffs. We're going, man." Palmer doesn't mind the excess enthusiasm. "I hope it lasts all the way through Super Bowl weekend," Palmer said. "And I think he is sincere. He's excited to be here. He's excited to be back playing football at a high level, at the level he used to play at when he was leading the AFC in yards. He's in way better shape than I've seen him in a couple of years." (Updated 06/19/2009).
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 7/9/09).
Fantasy Analysis
Palmer drew a line at becoming a roommate. Ochocinco told reporters last week that he'll be moving in with Palmer, his wife and two young children for a week or two in July, giving them a chance to bond and catch up on missed time. "He doesn't really have a choice," Ochocinco said Thursday. Oh, yes he does. When Palmer's wife, Shaelyn, heard about Ochocinco's plan, she wasn't thrilled with her husband. "I think she got an e-mail or something and as soon as I walked in the door from work the other day, she just gave me that look," Palmer said. "And I was like, 'Whoa, whoa, calm down. It's just media stuff. It's just Chad being Chad. Don't worry.'" We hope Chad is the Chad of old and not what we saw last year. We expect him to bounce back and play like a No. 2 Fantasy WR. Draft him with a mid-round pick in all leagues. (Updated 06/19/2009).
WR Chad Ocho Cinco's name will be bandied around before the draft, but rumors connecting the 31-year-old receiver to the Eagles might be off-target. While the Eagles do indeed have two first-round picks in the April 25-26 draft -- the 21st and 28th overall -- a club source told the Philadelphia Daily News that they aren't interested in parting with either of them to acquire Johnson. For starters, Johnson is 31 years old. He also is coming off the worst season of his career. In 13 games last year, he caught just 53 passes and four TDs and averaged only 10.2 yards per catch. He hasn't had more than eight touchdown receptions in a season since 2005. "I'll always look at something if there is a great player out there, and it doesn't matter what position," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "I'm always looking to better our football team. But do I think we have good enough (wide receivers) here? Yeah, I do." 49//2009
No information available at this time.
Ochocinco: I'm back: Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco is ready for a rebound year. Last year, with QB Carson Palmer out with an elbow injury, Ochocinco -- then just plain old Chad Johnson -- groused. He caught only 53 passes for 540 yards last season, after failing to force a trade. He skipped most of the voluntary workouts in the offseason, but showed up last week with a smile and an upbeat demeanor. "I'm back," Ochocinco said. "I can't explain it any other way. Before last year, this is how I was. I was good. I was happy. I'm good. It's going to be a great year. We're going to the playoffs. We're going, man." Palmer doesn't mind the excess enthusiasm. "I hope it lasts all the way through Super Bowl weekend," Palmer said. "And I think he is sincere. He's excited to be here. He's excited to be back playing football at a high level, at the level he used to play at when he was leading the AFC in yards. He's in way better shape than I've seen him in a couple of years." (Updated 06/19/2009).
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 7/9/09).
Fantasy Analysis
Palmer drew a line at becoming a roommate. Ochocinco told reporters last week that he'll be moving in with Palmer, his wife and two young children for a week or two in July, giving them a chance to bond and catch up on missed time. "He doesn't really have a choice," Ochocinco said Thursday. Oh, yes he does. When Palmer's wife, Shaelyn, heard about Ochocinco's plan, she wasn't thrilled with her husband. "I think she got an e-mail or something and as soon as I walked in the door from work the other day, she just gave me that look," Palmer said. "And I was like, 'Whoa, whoa, calm down. It's just media stuff. It's just Chad being Chad. Don't worry.'" We hope Chad is the Chad of old and not what we saw last year. We expect him to bounce back and play like a No. 2 Fantasy WR. Draft him with a mid-round pick in all leagues. (Updated 06/19/2009).
Browns LB D'Qwell Jackson gets big a shout-out; Jags DT John Henderson gets a big call-out. For better and worse, Pete Prisco goes team to team nailing a most overrated and underrated player for each.
If he can deal with his contract and stay healthy, Chad Ochocinco still has to hope Carson Palmer's elbow is OK after Palmer played in only four games in 2008.
If he can deal with his contract and stay healthy, Chad Ochocinco still has to hope Carson Palmer's elbow is OK after Palmer played in only four games in 2008.
