Owner: Bengals won't trade Palmer, consider QB to be retired

CINCINNATI -- Bengals owner Mike Brown insisted on Tuesday that he won't trade quarterback Carson Palmer, who wants to leave one of the NFL's least-successful franchises.

Palmer, who has four years left on his contract, told the team in January that he would retire if he's not traded. The Bengals have only two winning seasons in the last 20 years, one of the worst stretches of futility in league history.

Brown said the club will move on without its franchise quarterback. The Bengals plan to hold their first training camp workout Saturday in Georgetown, Ky.

"I honestly like Carson Palmer," Brown said. "He was a splendid player for us. He's a good person. I wish him well. And he is retired. That is his choice. ... I'm not expecting him to be back."

Asked why he wouldn't trade Palmer and get some draft picks in return, Brown said it was a matter of principle.

"Carson signed a contract. He made a commitment. He gave his word," Brown said. "We relied on his word. We relied on his commitment. We expected him to perform here. He's going to walk away from his commitment. We aren't going to reward him for doing it."

Brown has traditionally taken a hard line on players trying to leave. Receiver Chad Ochocinco unsuccessfully lobbied for a trade three years ago, but Brown refused. Ochocinco has one year left on his deal, but is hoping to be released during the next few weeks.

Brown and coach Marvin Lewis declined to say anything about Ochocinco on Tuesday other than that he's under contract. The Bengals picked receiver A.J. Green in the first round of the draft, giving themselves his eventual replacement.

The Bengals drafted Andy Dalton in the second round of April's draft. Brown indicated on Tuesday that he will be the starter heading into camp, even though he hasn't been able to work with coaches because of the NFL's lockout. Jordan Palmer -- Carson's younger brother -- is the only experienced quarterback on the roster.

Brown said the team will look for another veteran, but it will give Dalton a chance to win the job.

"We think he is promising for our future," Brown said. "Yes, he'll have teething problems. It won't be altogether easy for him all the time. But we're going to put him in there. If he can do it, we're going to go with him. And I hope he can manage it."

The Bengals are coming off a 4-12 season that included 10 consecutive losses. Carson Palmer told the team he wouldn't be back after Lewis decided to return even though Brown promised no significant changes in how the organization is run.

The Bengals originally planned to have players report at Georgetown College -- a 90-mile drive south of Cincinnati -- on Wednesday and have their first practice a day later. They pushed the schedule back by two days.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Ochocinco: Palmer 'means business' with trade-or-retire talk

Chad Ochocinco's interesting offseason brought him to the University of Cincinnati on Friday, when he trained with the Bearcats before promising to wrestle an alligator.

Following his workout with the school's football team, the Bengals' loquacious wide receiver also told WXIX-TV that he's convinced quarterback Carson Palmer is serious about his plans to retire if the team doesn't trade him. Bengals owner Mike Brown repeatedly has said he won't deal Palmer.

"There's this one thing you have to understand about Carson. When a guy that grows a random beard says he's going to do something, he means it," Ochocinco said. "Seriously. Seriously, That's totally out of his character. When someone like that grows a random beard and says he's going to retire -- if he doesn't get traded -- he means business. And it's unfortunate, but it is what it is."

With the Bengals' leader on the outs, Ochocinco has begun studying college film of rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who might wind up commanding Cincinnati's offense this season.

"I love (Palmer), you know that. You know how I feel about him, and I always will," Ochocinco said. "Everything I've done, I like to say that Carson is the reason for my success -- as so is everybody else. But, you know, he's the quarterback, period. And I think he's in a frustrated state, similar to what I was couple of years ago (when the receiver asked to be traded). And hopefully everything comes around. I understand we drafted Andy Dalton, who is a great quarterback, and after getting him, I've done my own homework in watching him ... and he's really good."

After 10 seasons with the Bengals, Ochocinco's relationship with longtime coach Marvin Lewis has been rocky, leading the receiver to joke that he could "whip Marvin's (expletive) right now," before clarifying that his coach has "been good to me."

Said Ochocinco: "He's the reason for my, ugh, everything. I've been with him eight, nine years. I mean, you know a little spat last year, a little spat here and there, it's a part of life. It's a part of marriage. ... I would love to still be here, and I have no problem ... I can't control the situation as a whole; I can only control me. And what I've done is I've been at peace for a while now. For a while now, you haven't heard a peep out of me as far as being a problem or saying things out of context, I'm just really supporting the Bengals' organization and the city."

Now, about that alligator. Ochocinco claims that when an exasperated Brown suggested the receiver next wrangle snakes as part of his carnivalesque offseason that also has included bull riding and a soccer tryout, he decided to go one step further.

"I just one-upped (Brown): I am going to wrestle alligators," Ochocinco said. "Don't laugh, like I am serious and you'll see it. And I am living life.

"In Okeechobee (Fla.), I am wrestling alligators. Actually, catching them in the wild. Which is going to be really interesting, I am catching them in the wild. I forgot the individual's name who is going with me, who does it for a living. It's pretty dangerous, I could lose an arm, lose a leg, you know ... so was bull riding. So the chance of me getting hurt on the bull is similar to the chance as me winning the lottery, slim to none. And the same thing with alligators. If he bites me, I can still play with one arm. (Because) I can kick, seriously."

Ochocinco also described a plot to sneak into Paul Brown Stadium during the lockout, when players are prevented from accessing team facilities, in order to use workout equipment.

"I freaking plotted to get into Paul Brown; they changed the freaking gate code!" he said. "Yeah, I tried to get in on my own, I tried to get in the back way. I don't want to say it, but there's a way to get into the stadium even though they have the security and all the cameras -- I got the blueprint of the stadium."

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Dalton among 47 Bengals at workouts; Palmer, Ochocinco not

A total of 47 Cincinnati Bengals, including five of the team's eight draft choices, attended the first day of player-organized workouts on Monday at two locations, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Monday night.

Tackle Andrew Whitworth and defensive tackle Domata Peko organized the sessions, which had 25 defensive players working out at Ignition Athletics in Mason, Ohio, and 22 offensive players training at the University of Cincinnati.

"We ran the offense, did some conditioning and got a chance to get our football legs back," Whitworth said. "We got a lot of quality work in."

Second-round pick Andy Dalton was one of three quarterbacks -- none of them named Carson Palmer -- who participated. Palmer has said he will retire if the Bengals don't trade him, something owner Mike Brown vowed won't happen. Wide receiver A.J. Green, the Bengals' first-round pick, is expected to join the workouts later this week.

Fellow wideout Chad Ochocinco, whose Bengals tenure appears tenuous as well, also was a no-show. He is in Montreal filming a cameo appearance for the Spike TV series "Blue Mountain State."

Each unit spent two hours on the field mirroring organized team activities -- stretching, position group work and then running plays together -- before lifting weights for another hour.

Monday's workouts were closed to the media, but Tuesday's defensive session and Wednesday's offensive workout will be open.

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Johnson: Palmer should go if he doesn't want to be a Bengal

Tank Johnson calls Carson Palmer's threat to retire "definitely serious," and he agrees with teammate Cedric Benson that if the quarterback isn't willing to give his all, the Cincinnati Bengals have no use for him.

And that, Johnson says, hardly is the only chemistry issue for the team. The other problem: reality TV stars/wide receivers Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. The Bengals' veteran defensive tackle told Sirius XM NFL Radio that their presence in training camp last year had a negative impact.

"When we got Chad and T.O. coming off their TV circuit right into our training camp, I mean, that just put a big cloud over a bunch of humble guys," Johnson said Thursday night. "And I'm not saying anything to take away from Chad and T.O.'s offseason adventures, because, hey, if they want you on TV, be on TV, but it just really clouded a bunch of humble guys."

Carucci: Ochocinco just being loco Chad Ochocinco continues to seek ways to stay in the public eye during the lockout. His plan to snake-wrangle shows how far his career has fallen, Vic Carucci writes. More...

Palmer's situation has been another dark cloud, and Benson, a Bengals running back who's scheduled to become a free agent when the NFL lockout is over, earlier this month charged that the team should cut ties with the quarterback and that keeping him would be "detrimental to the team."

"If he's there and not happy," Benson said, "he's not going to give us his best."

Said Johnson: "In terms of what (Benson) said about Carson, I mean, he's absolutely right. There's no way that you can bring that kind of energy into the locker room. I mean, if a guy doesn't want to be there, let him go."

Palmer, who last season passed for 3,970 yards and 26 touchdowns but also matched a career high with 20 interceptions, announced shortly after the conclusion of the Bengals' 4-12 season that he wanted out or he would retire. Bengals owner Mike Brown said at the NFL Spring Meeting earlier this week that "we don't plan to trade Carson."

"He's important to us. He's a very fine player, and we do want him to come back," Brown said. "If he chooses not to, he'd retire. And we would go with Andy Dalton, the younger player we drafted, who's a good prospect. Ideally, we'd have both of them. That'd be the best way to go forward. If we don't have Carson, we'll go with Andy."

Johnson said he wouldn't be surprised in Palmer is through.

"I don't think Carson's a guy who likes to come out in the media and put himself kind of on the stage if he's not serious," Johnson said. "I've known Carson all the way since we played in the Pac-10 together" -- Palmer at USC, Johnson at Washington -- "and I haven't known him to be much of a jokester, so I'm thinking he's pretty serious."

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Johnson: Palmer should go if he doesn't want to be a Bengal

Tank Johnson calls Carson Palmer's threat to retire "definitely serious," and he agrees with teammate Cedric Benson that if the quarterback isn't willing to give his all, the Cincinnati Bengals have no use for him.

And that, Johnson says, hardly is the only chemistry issue for the team. The other problem: reality TV stars/wide receivers Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. The Bengals' veteran defensive tackle told Sirius XM NFL Radio that their presence in training camp last year had a negative impact.

"When we got Chad and T.O. coming off their TV circuit right into our training camp, I mean, that just put a big cloud over a bunch of humble guys," Johnson said Thursday night. "And I'm not saying anything to take away from Chad and T.O.'s offseason adventures, because, hey, if they want you on TV, be on TV, but it just really clouded a bunch of humble guys."

Carucci: Ochocinco just being loco Chad Ochocinco continues to seek ways to stay in the public eye during the lockout. His plan to snake-wrangle shows how far his career has fallen, Vic Carucci writes. More...

Palmer's situation has been another dark cloud, and Benson, a Bengals running back who's scheduled to become a free agent when the NFL lockout is over, earlier this month charged that the team should cut ties with the quarterback and that keeping him would be "detrimental to the team."

"If he's there and not happy," Benson said, "he's not going to give us his best."

Said Johnson: "In terms of what (Benson) said about Carson, I mean, he's absolutely right. There's no way that you can bring that kind of energy into the locker room. I mean, if a guy doesn't want to be there, let him go."

Palmer, who last season passed for 3,970 yards and 26 touchdowns but also matched a career high with 20 interceptions, announced shortly after the conclusion of the Bengals' 4-12 season that he wanted out or he would retire. Bengals owner Mike Brown said at the NFL Spring Meeting earlier this week that "we don't plan to trade Carson."

"He's important to us. He's a very fine player, and we do want him to come back," Brown said. "If he chooses not to, he'd retire. And we would go with Andy Dalton, the younger player we drafted, who's a good prospect. Ideally, we'd have both of them. That'd be the best way to go forward. If we don't have Carson, we'll go with Andy."

Johnson said he wouldn't be surprised in Palmer is through.

"I don't think Carson's a guy who likes to come out in the media and put himself kind of on the stage if he's not serious," Johnson said. "I've known Carson all the way since we played in the Pac-10 together" -- Palmer at USC, Johnson at Washington -- "and I haven't known him to be much of a jokester, so I'm thinking he's pretty serious."

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Bengals QB Palmer rests hip, should be ready Sunday

Carson Palmer sat out practice to rest an injured hip, but Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis expects his quarterback to be ready for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, the team's official website reported.

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Jordan Palmer and Dan LeFevour split the snaps in practice Thursday, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Also sitting out practice were cornerbacks Leon Hall (hamstring) and Morgan Trent (knee), and safeties Chinedum Ndukwe (knee) and Roy Williams (knee).

Linebacker Brandon Johnson (knee), cornerback Johnathan Joseph (ankle), wide receiver Terrell Owens (hand) and linebacker Keith Rivers (foot) were limited.

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