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Chad Johnson, the wide receiver formerly known as Ochocinco, was at the Detroit Lions' practice on Friday. He observed the practice from the sideline, and his appearance got people wondering about why exactly he was there. Did he just want to watch some football? Is he trying to make a comeback? Are the Lions planning to work him out?
It turns out that Johnson was simply in the area because his daughter is taking part in the AAU Junior Olympics in Ypsilanti, according to Josh Katzenstein. As a result, Johnson decided to swing by Lions training camp to watch the team practice, and afterward he caught up with Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. He also had a chat with Calvin Johnson.
During the 2011 lockout, Johnson worked out with Matthew Stafford and Megatron, so he was already somewhat familiar with the Lions before Friday. Johnson was also briefly teammates in Miami last year with Reggie Bush, who he called "explosive as s***" on Friday.
Johnson must have liked what he saw, because he told Katzenstein that the Lions could "easily" make the playoffs this year. He also said this when asked about what's going on with his career right now:
Chad Johnson said he isn't sitting by the phone waiting for teams to call, but he would like to finish his career "the right way."
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) August 2, 2013
Don't get any ideas about Johnson joining the Lions, because it's highly, highly unlikely. There's a reason he's been a free agent since the Dolphins released him last August, and the last thing the Lions need is a wide receiver who could end up being a distraction.