You've Been Spotted: Ten Top Women
Bombers visit injured hockey player
.JPG)
Rachael Ray coming to area
Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > May > 31 > Entry
Is T.J. Alvin Harper waiting to happen?
===LUDWIG AT LARGE needs a question answered from loyal readers: Should the Cincinnati Bengals attempt to re-sign wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh to a long-term contract or let him walk in free agency next spring? The four-year, $12 million contract T.J. signed in 2005 expires after the 2008 season.===
WORKING HARD ON HIS OWN
It’s not like T.J. Houshmandzadeh is sitting on his couch eating chocolate covered bon bons, playing video games all day and getting fat.
The eighth year veteran is working his tail off … and that includes his rear end along with his pony tail hairdo.
It’s just that he’s chosen to work out near his Los Angeles home and not in Cincinnati, where all but a few of his teammates are working.
As much as the Bengals want him in Cincinnati and need him in Cincinnati during these precious and few OTAs, T.J. prefers being with his immediate family — wife, Kaci, and their daughters. Karrington and Kennedi — in SoCal and sweating it out with a personal trainer.
After all, these offseason workouts are, ahem, ‘VOLUNTARY.”
Folks, let’s face it … the absence of Pro Bowl receivers Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson is a double-edge sword.
T.J. and Chad are missing out on building chemistry with quarterback Carson Palmer, who preaches timing and rhythm like a passing professor.
At the same time, young thoroughbreds Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell are gaining valuable experience by getting numerous reps.
LUDWIG AT LARGE PREDICTION …
… The Bengals let T.J. walk after the season because the young studs are going to be ready to take control.
T.J. is going to demand big bucks in the $5 million-per-year range, and — in the Bengals’ eyes — that’s way, Way, WAY too expensive for a No. 2 receiver.
And, yes, T.J. is a No. 2.
He’s the second banana to Chad just like Alvin Harper was the second banana to Michael Irvin in Dallas.
Harper lived off Irvin, then bombed as Tampa Bay’s No. 1.
A BOMB WITH THE BUCS
In Harper’s final year with Dallas (1994), he caught 33 passes for 821 yards (a whopping 24.9-yard average) and 8 TDs with a long gain of 90 yards.
In Harper’s first year with Tampa Bay (1995), he caught 46 passes for 633 yards (13.8), two TDs and a long gain of 49.
In ‘96, Harper’s numbers dived again … 19 receptions, 289 yards (15.2) and 1 TD.
Without Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh is Alvin Harper waiting to happen.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By Mike
May 31, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
The Bengals may think the new young receivers will be ready to play but history says that is unlikely.They will probably let TJ walk rather than pay a 30 year old #2 receiver big bucks. Chad may go too if the “holdout” lasts through August. Chad will show up for the 1st regular game if he is still here for the pay check. The Bengals are not a team. They are still a collection of individuals. The stadium is full. Why change anything? The schedule is tough. They could easily be 5-11.By Gary
May 31, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this
I think the Bengals are in a bind since Chad has a contract with 4 more years. I don’t know how they can get rid of Chad’s contract, so I don’t think they can keep TJ. I wish they would I love him, but financially it may not be smart.By anon
May 31, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this
I have loved watching Chad and TJ. They take the field as professionals who strive to do their best. That said, Chad wants out and TJ will be very expensive. And, maybe more importantly, they deserve better. The Brown clan seem to strive for nine wins a season. Maybe not by design and maybe not intentionally but setting low goals and not reaching them seems their deal. Every player on the team deserves better but especially our top performers who are at the top of the NFL pro level. Maybe a youth movement and young blood will ignite the clubhouse despite the management. Turn the page and give Big Willie a highlight to go out on. At least I hope so for Carson’s sake and all the talented and hungry guys on the team. Not to mention all the hungry fans.By psychostats
May 31, 2008 8:42 PM | Link to this
I remember Jimmy Johnson talking about Alvin Harper after his former wide receiver started having problems in Tampa. The gist was that Dallas was mostly happy to see the guy go. He was a bad locker room presence and an all around troublemaker. T.J. is not like that at all, so I would expect him to perform reasonably well on his next team. And there darn well should be another team for him in 2009. As good as T.J. is, the Bengals need to spend some of that money on Defense, or we’ll never see better than 7 or 8 wins a season. Well, maybe we won’t see better than that anyway, but you know what I mean.By Brian
June 1, 2008 12:22 AM | Link to this
The discussion about the Bengals core players (or lack thereof…) helped emphasize T.J.’s importance to me. This will be a big season for T.J., since odds are Chad’s productivity will plummet due to his lack of offseason preparation and pouting due to still being here. If T.J. puts up big numbers while Chad mimics Randy Moss in Oakland, then you have to try to re-sign T.J. Assuming T.J. actually WANTS to come back…By Otis
June 3, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this
The bengals have always been good and way above average at the receiving positions. What this team needs is defense. Keeping Justin Smith (???) was the worst move they made. I’m of the opinion they should have went after Joey Porter (very hard). And brought in some talented free agent lineman and built the d-line through the draft. In today’s NFL a strong D-line is a all but a guaranteed playoff birth. Notice that the Ravens won their Super Bowl NOT on the strength of Ray Lewis and the corners (they were VERY good; great even) but it was the fact that they had Mega-Hogs at DT and they had outright beasts at the D-end positions. That allowed the linebackers (especially Lewis) to very become the terror he was. Same with the D-backs. A good D-line will ensure some picks and make covering easier. The Bengals just don’t want to spend the money and they amplify all this drama with the receivers to mask the bigger problems. Chad is just a symptom of something far worse. Get out of cincy while you can T.J. It won’t get better unless the organization changes. Beware: T.J. may be a Brownie or a Steeler. And that would suck.