Chad Johnson in pewter? Not so fast

With Cincinnati receiver Chad Johnson making it no secret that he wouldn't mind playing elsewhere in 2008, you might wonder whether the Bucs would have some interest in the disgruntled Bengal.

It's easy to make a case for pursuing him. The man is on his way to his fifth straight Pro Bowl. And he set a Cincinnati record for career receptions. Plus, he's durable. Johnson hasn't missed a game in six seasons.

But I've gone back and forth on whether the Bucs would make a play for a guy with a dynamic personality like Johnson. Look at the team's history and the Bucs clearly have a record of separating themselves from anyone who rocks the boat. You can go back to Keyshawn Johnson and Warren Sapp, or, more recently, Simeon Rice. Now, there were other factors at work in most cases -- money, injuries, etc. -- so it wasn't merely about the player's big mouth.

But if you look at the current makeup of this team, it's a sportswriter's nightmare. There isn't really a guy on the roster who is willing to say anything contrary to the company line. That's not a knock. They're paid handsomely to remain silent. I get that. Just saying that the guys who call attention to themselves usually don't last in Tampa Bay. And the Bucs generally steer clear of those types of players in free agency, too. Tampa Bay has been far more likely to sign players with checkered pasts than players who stay within the law but are apt talk out of turn. Go figure.

Johnson is such a talent that perhaps the Bucs might be willing to overlook his demonstrative personality. He is, after all, exactly what they don't have at receiver: a guy who can go deep but will also run all kinds of routes and make tough catches in traffic.

But I just have a hard time seeing Tampa Bay with Johnson on its roster. When you think about the Bucs, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Jon Gruden -- not a player with a flashy style. Frankly, I think that's exactly the way the Bucs like it.