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Posted 22 April 2008 - 06:53 PM
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Marvin to Chad: Sit out
Team turns down trade offer from Washington for receiver
BY MARK CURNUTTE | MCURNUTTE@ENQUIRER.COM
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, in a pre-draft news conference this morning, said the Bengals had not received any trade offers for Chad Johnson, then reversed course and said the team did receive an offer from the Redskins but turned it down.
And when asked if Johnson’s threat to not to play would affect the team’s draft plans, Lewis said it wouldn't, and added that Johnson should be prepared to sit out the season.
"I think he has made it clear he’s not going to play, and that’s what I’ve been aware of since the end of last season. I think it’s time to do what you say you’re going to do, and we’ll move forward.
"He has a contract through 2011. He stated, without an opportunity to go to another team with a new contract he wasn’t going to play. I think he’s a man of his word, and says he’s not going to play, so don’t play."
In its report of the Redskins' trade offer - a first round pick in this year's draft and a third rounder next year - ESPN said the 2009 pick could elevate to a first if Johnson were to hit performance incentives with Washington.
"Errant," is how Lewis initially described the report of the trade offer. "I don’t think Mike Brown received a call."
Another question and answer went like this:
Reporter: "Have you received any trade offers for Chad (Johnson)?"
Lewis: "No."
After the press conference, however, Lewis was quoted in an updated ESPN story as saying: "Once I actually read what was reported, I have to be truthful and say that the story is accurate. Unfortunately, I didn't read it until after our press conference."
Citing souces, the initial ESPN story said: "The Redskins offered their first-round pick, No. 21 overall, and a conditional third-rounder in 2009 that could escalate to a first rounder if Johnson and the Redskins hit certain performance levels, the sources said."
ESPN also reported that two other NFC East teams -- the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles -- were told Johnson was unavailable in a trade.
After the second ESPN report, Bengals public relations director Jack Brennan implied that Lewis answered the way he did because the initial question mistakenly characterized the report as being two first-round picks, giving the following statement to The Enquirer:
"A questioner (at the press conference) said ESPN had reported a Redskins trade offer of two first-round picks. Coach Lewis denied such an offer had been made.
"But ESPN, in fact, did not report an offer of two first-round picks. Coach Lewis later confirmed that the ESPN story, as actually written, was accurate.
"Marvin told the Redskins that we were not interested trading Chad."
Drew Rosenhaus, Johnson's agent, has not returned a phone message from The Enquirer seeking comment on the day's news of Washington's trade offer.
The Bengals would take an $8.03 million salary cap hit if they traded or released Johnson before June 1. After June 1, the Bengals could spread the salary cap hit into 2009.
Team turns down trade offer from Washington for receiver
BY MARK CURNUTTE | MCURNUTTE@ENQUIRER.COM
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, in a pre-draft news conference this morning, said the Bengals had not received any trade offers for Chad Johnson, then reversed course and said the team did receive an offer from the Redskins but turned it down.
And when asked if Johnson’s threat to not to play would affect the team’s draft plans, Lewis said it wouldn't, and added that Johnson should be prepared to sit out the season.
"I think he has made it clear he’s not going to play, and that’s what I’ve been aware of since the end of last season. I think it’s time to do what you say you’re going to do, and we’ll move forward.
"He has a contract through 2011. He stated, without an opportunity to go to another team with a new contract he wasn’t going to play. I think he’s a man of his word, and says he’s not going to play, so don’t play."
In its report of the Redskins' trade offer - a first round pick in this year's draft and a third rounder next year - ESPN said the 2009 pick could elevate to a first if Johnson were to hit performance incentives with Washington.
"Errant," is how Lewis initially described the report of the trade offer. "I don’t think Mike Brown received a call."
Another question and answer went like this:
Reporter: "Have you received any trade offers for Chad (Johnson)?"
Lewis: "No."
After the press conference, however, Lewis was quoted in an updated ESPN story as saying: "Once I actually read what was reported, I have to be truthful and say that the story is accurate. Unfortunately, I didn't read it until after our press conference."
Citing souces, the initial ESPN story said: "The Redskins offered their first-round pick, No. 21 overall, and a conditional third-rounder in 2009 that could escalate to a first rounder if Johnson and the Redskins hit certain performance levels, the sources said."
ESPN also reported that two other NFC East teams -- the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles -- were told Johnson was unavailable in a trade.
After the second ESPN report, Bengals public relations director Jack Brennan implied that Lewis answered the way he did because the initial question mistakenly characterized the report as being two first-round picks, giving the following statement to The Enquirer:
"A questioner (at the press conference) said ESPN had reported a Redskins trade offer of two first-round picks. Coach Lewis denied such an offer had been made.
"But ESPN, in fact, did not report an offer of two first-round picks. Coach Lewis later confirmed that the ESPN story, as actually written, was accurate.
"Marvin told the Redskins that we were not interested trading Chad."
Drew Rosenhaus, Johnson's agent, has not returned a phone message from The Enquirer seeking comment on the day's news of Washington's trade offer.
The Bengals would take an $8.03 million salary cap hit if they traded or released Johnson before June 1. After June 1, the Bengals could spread the salary cap hit into 2009.
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