Houshmanzadeh: I Don't Want Any Part of the Tag

Bengals' WR TJ Houshmanzadeh, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent and does not want the team to use it's franchise tag to keep him.

"I don't want any part of the tag," he said. "The more I think about, I don't think I'll be franchised. It's a lot of money. If you franchise somebody what are you saying about the player? Obviously, you think he is that type of player, and if you think he's that type of player then you're franchising him. That shows you within itself that OK we think he's one of the better players and we're going to franchise him. If that's the case give him a contract like your franchising him. That's how I see it and don't see the franchise thing happening."

The Bengals would have to pay Houshmandzadeh $9.88 million in salary for the 2009 season if they where to slap the franchise tag on him.

Houshmanzadeh, is trying to avoid the dysfunctional family that is the Cincinnati Bengals by working out in California this offseason with teammate Chris Henry.

Houshmandzadeh stated that some of the blame for the Bengals dismal 2008 season was placed on him and Chad Ocho Cinco by the coach for their lack of participation in voluntary offseason programs. He reiterated that things weren't going to change this offseason if he receives the tag.

"Coach Lewis made an emphasis of wanting guys at the offseason programs, on the field sessions and things of that nature. If I get franchised I'm not going to be there," he said. "So it goes against everything that the coaches want. You can't have the coach come out and say one thing and do another. If you do, then you're not going to have the cohesiveness he said he wanted when the season ended."