Chad Ochocinco: 5 Reasons Teams Should Avoid Trading for the Wideout

Chad Ochocinco is unhappy in Cincinnati with the Bengals, and the Bengals aren't too happy with 'Cinco.

As a result, Chad's on the trading block along with his long-time quarterback Carson Palmer.

Of course, most football fans know that Chad has had a Hall of Fame-esque career, compiling 66 touchdowns along with nearly 11,000 receiving yards. He saw a slight drop-off in his 2010 campaign, but aside from that, Chad can still produce at a phenomenal rate.

However, there are caveats associated with having Chad Ochocinco on your team.

Although Chad is an amazing football player, some red flags appear in regards to his off-the-field life.

Here are five reasons teams should avoid nabbing Chad Ochocinco.

Carlos Sandoval is co-host of weekly NFL podcast, The Pigeon Toe (which is on hiatus 'til this darned lockout ends). Follow him on Twitter: @CarloshSandoval.

Chad Ochocinco Is 33 Years Old

Chad Ochocinco's age isn't his biggest imposition, but regardless, 33 is a pretty old age for any NFL player, regardless of position. 

Wideouts tend to see a stark drop in play by the age of 34, and though Ochocinco is one year away by that logic, he could see his production drop in 2011 since he'll have to adjust to totally new offensive schemes and philosophies. 

Ochocinco is still extremely athletic, but it's getting to the point where we have to consider adding "for his age" to that statement. 

We've seen wide receivers play extremely well through their 30s, but it isn't often; at this point in his career, Ocho is liable to slow down significantly. 

Ochocinco Likes to Tweet ... a Lot

Chad Ochocinco is one of the most influential athletes in social media—he connects with his fans like no other player has done before, mainly because he was the first to do so. 

His Ustream account is always busy, and the dude isn't afraid to speak his mind about anything. 

Normally, Chad Ochocinco doesn't talk smack about his teammates or coach, but the growing distance between he and his coaching staff has been well-documented—by himself.

The dude loves to talk, and that could be a problem since his Twitter account won't exactly be regulated by teams.

Chad will provide teams with amazing production and better marketability, but bad-mouthing coaches could be a huge issue. 

He Could Divide a Locker Room

Chad Ochocinco has yet to be Terrell Owens in the sense that he won't mind dividing a locker room and destroying team chemistry.

That said, that doesn't mean he won't ever be like that. Ochocinco is one of those guys that love to hear their own voice, and if there's an opinion he has, he won't keep it a secret. 

Chad's been with the same club for nearly a decade, so when he got sick of the Bengals, Ochocinco made everyone aware of his morale. 

The biggest, most daunting difference between Ochocinco and T.O.? Chad doesn't have that reputation, and can easily band together his teammates and turn them against their coaches. 

Watch out, guys.

He Might Not Take Things Seriously

We all know that Chad Ochocinco loves to have fun and be friendly, joking around with teammates, reporters and coaches constantly. 

However, how much is too much? 

Chad isn't always serious—in fact, it's conceivable that he's less serious than he is joking around, which might not be a good thing.

We know he has a solid work-ethic and he plays hards and practices harder. 

But will Chad get lazy if he's on a (different) losing team, and relegate himself to the team clown? It's possible, and definitely probable.

He Likes to Explore and Experiment

Chad Ochocinco has raced a horse. Chad Ochocinco has ridden a bull. Chad Ochocinco fell off the bull. Chad Ochocinco has tried out for a soccer (?) team. Chad Ochocinco dances with the stars.

If I'm this guy's trainer, I'm like, "Come on, bro!"

Chad Ochocinco doesn't mind broadening his skills and being open-minded to try and do new things. That would be totally awesome and chill if he wasn't already playing a sport that causes career- (and life-) threatening injuries.

If Ochocinco gets hurt doing something that's not football, not only will he regret it, but the team who picks him up and hands him his dough will regret it.

No team wants to pay for one less spot on the injured reserve.