By Clifton Brown

updated 9:51 a.m. ET March 26, 2008

The Cincinnati Bengals should trade wide receiver Chad Johnson.

They have never won a playoff game with him. Coming off a 93-catch season, at age 30, Johnson’s trade value probably never will be higher. And if the Bengals stubbornly keep Johnson, they likely will face a dysfunctional season from an unhappy star player who clearly wants out.

This is not an easy situation for the Bengals, who keep insisting Johnson will not be traded. Trading Johnson, who is signed through 2011, would force the Bengals to take a huge salary cap hit this year, reportedly in the neighborhood of $8 million. Trading Johnson also would mean giving up one of the NFL’s best receivers.

But the longer this situation lasts, the more flammable it will get. Johnson already has skipped the Bengals’ strength and conditioning program. That is only the beginning.

Considering his outspoken history, it is almost impossible to imagine an unhappy Johnson reporting to training camp on time, keeping his mouth shut and not being a HUGE distraction.

If that happens, the Bengals’ chances of having a successful season go way down. Yes, the Bengals will avoid the salary cap hit and show Johnson who is boss. But if Johnson actually makes good on his threat to sit out the season, the Bengals will get nothing in return and still have the Johnson problem staring them in the face.

Trading Johnson means owner Mike Brown and coach Marvin Lewis would be giving into the demands of a disgruntled player. But that is not always a bad thing.

If the controversy surrounding Johnson seriously disrupts the team, everyone loses—Brown, Lewis and the Bengals. Remember when Terrell Owens and the Eagles had their nasty divorce in 2005? That season was a nightmare for the Eagles, who went from NFC champions to 6-10. But the next season, with Owens in Dallas, the Eagles bounced back and made the playoffs.

Both the Cowboys and the Eagles might be interested in a trade for Johnson, and having those two NFC East rivals vying for his services likely would increase his trade value. Perhaps the Bengals could fetch a future high draft pick or two, or a solid defensive player. Whether Johnson stays or not, the Bengals must improve their defense; adding draft picks and/or a veteran player might speed up that process.

Fortunes can change quickly in the NFL, but even with Johnson the Bengals do not look like a team on the verge of winning a Super Bowl. They have underachieved the past two seasons, and too many of their players, like Odell Thurman and Chris Henry, have caused distractions with off-field problems. They need a new direction, not more distractions. Trading Johnson would be a step toward that.

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Lewis is right when he says Johnson has been well compensated by the Bengals. Johnson is a terrific player, but the Bengals gave him a new contract in 2006; if he wants more money, the Bengals should not give it to him.

Clearly, Johnson has a right to be frustrated by the team’s failure to make the playoffs, but he is not alone. Carson Palmer is frustrated, too, but he is not demanding a trade. Successful teams need star players who lead by example, especially when times are tough. But Johnson does not want to lead the Bengals. He wants to leave them.

After seven seasons in Cincinnati, Johnson has the itch to split and the Bengals should oblige him before the divorce gets really ugly. Take the salary cap hit and send Johnson packing. The time has come for the Bengals to say “Adios” to “Ocho Cinco.”

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