Why Chad Ochocinco Is Not a Solution for the Baltimore Ravens

As the countdown to the start of NFL training camp commences, Chad Ochocinco has dominated the NFL headlines during the downtime of the offseason.

The former Bengals standout was released by the New England Patriots after being traded from Cincinnati last year.

It was evident that the New England Patriots were never a proper fit for Ochocinco. He was unable to dive into the sophisticated Patriots playbook and grasp the variety of routes that were assigned to him.

In reality, Ochocinco was never fully committed to learning the Patriots offense. He realized quite quickly that he was never going to be a major contributor the passing game and was at best the fifth option for quarterback Tom Brady.

His limited time on the field combined with the passing of his father led to arguably the most disappointing season of Ochocinco's career.

We need to remember the kind of reputation Ochocinco has earned during his tenure in the NFL. Not only does he want to be the focal point of an offense, but his actions off the field tend to warrant plenty of hype from the national media.

Could he be a fit for the Baltimore Ravens? The Ravens have been considered an option for the veteran wide receiver due to the team's recent history of signing veteran wide receivers.

However, the Ravens have moved on from this experiment after enduring the negative effects the last two seasons. Ozzie Newsome gave TJ Houshmandzadeh and Lee Evans, two receivers who were clearly past their prime, an opportunity to improve a receiving corps that has been the team's biggest weakness since the Joe Flacco era began.

Newsome signed former Texans wide receiver Jacoby Jones this off season to compete for the third spot on the receivers depth chart. Jones' dynamic speed could make him a threat as the Ravens third receiver while also making an impact as a punt returner.

Sixth-round pick Tommy Streeter will also compete for reps in the Ravens offense. The former Miami standout has displayed elite speed and could develop into a quality receiver in the near future. Why would the Ravens limit Streeter's opportunity to play by bringing in a receiver who is nearing the end of his career?

Ochocinco will never adapt to the idea of becoming a fourth wide receiver on any team. Over the course of his career, the Bengals witnessed how easy Ochocinco can lose focus and become a non-factor if he is not involved within the offense consistently.

This is why Ochocinco is very interested in the Miami Dolphins, whom he worked out for on Monday. With the departure of Brandon Marshall, Ochocinco could be given the opportunity to be the second receiver on the depth chart.

Ultimately, the Ravens nor Ochocinco would benefit from this signing. As the Ravens prepare for training camp, they need to accept the offensive play makers currently on the team and hope the offense can take the next step to becoming an elite unit.

Matt Miselis is an NFL Featured Columnist who has displayed his expertise on the Ravens for over three years. He has appeared on ESPN Radio and has been fortunate to have articles linked by ESPN.com and CBS Sports. Follow him on twitter @MattMiselisNFL