A day after ESPN The Magazine reported that Johnson could report for the team’s mandatory minicamp next weekend, there was little desire among players or coaches to discuss the matter.
“No.1, he's not here,” said head coach Marvin Lewis. “No.2, it's something he said a while back, a long time ago. So it's really not a concern. Chad has a contract to play football. He has to make some decisions on his own.”
Johnson made his comments on May 23 while playing the role of editor-in-chief for the publication’s Revenge of the Jock issue.
“Am I coming back? Of course I am,” said Johnson.
“It doesn't matter. Saying things and doing what you said – we've been talking about this for a while,” said Lewis, who added that he has not spoken to Johnson recently.
Johnson had repeatedly vowed this offseason to not report and not play for the Bengals this season, instead wanting to be traded. The Bengals have repeatedly declined his requests, including turning down a trade offer from Washington on Draft Day that could have brought the team as many as two first round picks.
Johnson’s fuming this offseason has included taking a shot at quarterback Carson Palmer.
For his part Palmer has attempted to stay clear of talking about Johnson.
“I'll be extremely happy when he gets here. I hope he is (here),” said Palmer. “We'll see. I'm not going to talk a whole bunch about that issue, I'll talk about the guys that are here, but I will say I hope he is here and we need him back. We'll all be excited when he gets here.”
Johnson is one of three offensive starters who have stayed away from the team’s voluntary offseason workouts, along with fellow wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and left tackle Levi Jones. Right tackle Willie Anderson is participating this week after missing the first three weeks of on-field practices due to handling personal issues.
“That's the story. Willie's the story,” said Lewis.
Anderson is getting ready for his 13th NFL season. The Bengals drafted him with the 10th overall pick in 1996 and he has played in 181 games for the franchise, tied with former kicker Jim Breech for sixth on the team’s all-time list.
He has been around long enough to know how to handle the situation between Johnson and the team.
“Things will work themselves out,” said Anderson. “Basically you have to go with how he says things. Whatever he says he’s going to do you have to take his word that he’s going to do that.”
Anderson referenced former teammates when asked if Johnson could potentially be a dividing force in the locker room.
“We played with Corey (Dillon). We didn’t have a problem with him. We played with him. We played with Carl Pickens,” said Anderson. “I don’t know about it being divided and I don’t know about the impact of it. That’s something that if he has a situation between him and the coaches that’s going to be up to him and the coaches to deal with it. Any other players shouldn’t jump in and give their two cents about what should happen. If he has an issue with the coaches and hisself that’s going to be between hisself and the coaches to deal with it because it’s always been that way. It’s always been that way and it shouldn’t change now.”