Chad Ochocinco's release is not much of a surprise, given the trend of once desirable receivers becoming expensive backups overnight.
But Ochocinco reportedly will not be going quietly into retirement and plans to find work elsewhere. Would anyone be interested in the 34 year-old wide out? Recent trends show that the extra 320 preseason roster spots are benefitting inexpensive UDFAs or first year players instead of veterans who not long ago were in demand.
But the man formerly known as Chad Johnson would not be the first aging star to suffer a slump but remerge once again as a dominant player.
Both Kurt Warner and Kerry Collins resurrected careers after being relegated to the 2nd string. This year, Randy Moss will attempt to make a comeback with San Francisco after an off 2010 followed by a year away from the game.
There may be a fit out there for Ocho as well.
Oakland Raiders:
The first and most obvious choice, Ochocinco may receive interest from the Black Hole. Joining the Raiders would reunite Chad with Carson Palmer, who was the arm behind his previous success with the Bengals.
The Raiders, who are hoping to make a legitimate playoff push as early as this season are without a ton of proven depth at WR. Outside of Darrius Heyward-Bey, there is not much for Palmer to work with.
This move would be a near certainty if Al Davis was still alive and at the helm, but if Chad were to land here he will need to show that he can contribute more than one of the younger projects on the roster.
New York Jets:
Ochocinco has mellowed quite a bit over the years but his name can still generate a bit of controversy if used right. Could the Jets truly resist adding another cast member to their circus?
Logic says that if the Jets are not interested in bringing back Plaxico Burress, they likely won't be interested in signing Ochocinco. That said, they aren't particularly deep at WR either and their top star, Santonio Holmes, can stir up drama faster than the less famous Kardashian sisters.
Buffalo Bills:
The Bills looked as if they were going to make a run at the AFC East title last season before the wheels fell off and they spiraled out of the postseason race. This year, they are already stronger and made league history when they made Mario Williams the highest paid defender ever.
Could they use another veteran WR to compliment Stevie Johnson? They might be wise to give Ochocinco a look.
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