KO OLINA, Hawaii  Chad Johnson stood outside the lush JW Marriott Ihilani Resort, home of the Pro Bowlers, on a picture postcard morning, overlooking the turquoise-colored Pacific Ocean on the near horizon.

Johnson's mood concerning a season of discontent and an uncertain future with the Cincinnati Bengals didn't match the view from paradise. He spent Pro Bowl week venting frustration concerning what he perceives to be a deteriorating relationship with the Bengals.

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From his comments made here and elsewhere this offseason, Johnson seems bent on orchestrating a divorce and thinks a trade would be in everybody's best interest, even though he has four years remaining on a six-year, $35 million-plus deal.

For those into non-verbal hints, he wore a Baltimore Ravens baseball cap during Saturday's AFC Pro Bowl practice at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

After a season in which he felt scapegoated for the 7-9 Bengals' disappointing finish — despite 93 receptions and a career-high 1,440 receiving yards for the franchise's all-time leader in catches and receiving yardage — Johnson is asked, "What will make you happy?"

"Winning. Making the playoffs," responds Johnson, who has one career postseason appearance.

At that moment, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who doubles as Johnson's friend and mentor, walks past. Johnson calls out to the veteran player whom he has leaned on.

"When I was going through tough times during the season, this is who I would call —Ray Lewis," Johnson says.

Johnson broadens his conversation with a reporter to include Lewis.

"This reporter asked me what is it going to take for me to be happy, Ray."

Johnson then gives Lewis a recap. "Winning more games during the regular season. Playing in the playoffs and getting a ring," Johnson rehashes for Lewis. "Because I remember you told me, 'No matter what 85 (Johnson's jersey number) does, until he gets a ring, he isn't anything.' "

Lewis laughs heartily, enjoying the retelling of his advice.

"You have to win the ring. Case closed," Lewis says.

"And you wonder why I am how I am right now?" Johnson says.

"He's just emotional," Lewis says.

Lewis smiles and motions to Johnson to stay calm.

"I'm going to slow down," Johnson says as Lewis walks away.

On the field and off, Johnson is as close as ever with running mate T.J. Houshmandzadeh, his former Oregon State teammate who earned his first Pro Bowl honor after a 112-reception season, tied for tops in the league with the New England Patriots' Wes Welker.

"It's a fine line when a guy doesn't want to be there," Houshmandzadeh says. "Do you keep somebody who doesn't want to be there and have it hurt the morale of the team? I'm not sure what's going to happen. If he's still there, Chad will do whatever it takes to play football."

But Johnson seems to feel he'd be happier elsewhere despite coach Marvin Lewis' insistence he has no intention of trading the dynamic playmaker.

"I've talked to the team," says Johnson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus. "As far as approaching them about a trade, I've done that. But I prefer to work behind the scenes. There's obviously some issues that need to be addressed."

Can Johnson have a reconciliation in Cincinnati if he's back next season?

"I don't know," Rosenhaus says.

Says Johnson: "Don't let the celebrations and all the trash talking fool you. That's what it's always been about: winning, getting to the playoffs and getting that ring."

Those may be the goals, even if some people think Johnson is more interested in self promotion with his creative on-field antics.

"There's people's perceptions," he says. "(But) have I ever caused controversy? Think about it. Never got in trouble on the field or off the field.

"But I get in trouble for having fun. My motive was to play the game the way I was brought up; play the game how I was raised back in Miami, playing around the (University of Miami) Hurricanes. Have fun."

Johnson won't point fingers inside his own locker room, and he doesn't intend to hold out.

But he's not afraid to speak out.

"There's all kind of stuff I had to deal with this season, someone saying I was 'too flamboyant, outlandish.' I've always played the game with passion."

Johnson says he can't stop being himself, which includes adopting children from an impoverished village in Africa he visited last offseason.

"When we're losing, then I can't be me," he says of some of the criticism he endured. "Nobody wants to hear about the good I do. They're waiting for me to mess up."

Does he have to go elsewhere to find happiness?

"I don't know what I can do?" he says. "I need to continue to be competitive and want to be the best at what I do. Whether it's in Cincinnati or in the Arena League, you're going to get the same Chad — the same hardworking, bust-his-butt Chad."

Johnson is asked if he'd ever demand a trade out of Cincinnati.

"I'd never do that, man," Johnson says. "That's not my job. I just play. I'm under contract with the B," he says, pointing to the bright orange, striped B representing the Bengals on his shoulder pads.

"If I'm back in Cincinnati, you're going to get the same Chad Johnson you got in 2001, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07," he says. "You're going to get the same outlandish, flamboyant, Chad. I'm not changing."

Johnson then asks a question of his own.

"What wins championships?"

"Defense," he is told.

"Looking at the Giants, it's defense. That's another thing I don't like," Johnson says of the Bengals' situation.

He is told Baltimore safety Ed Reed, one of the league's top defensive difference-makers, has been lobbying for him to join the Ravens if he can't reconcile with the Bengals.

"Everybody's lobbying for me," Johnson says.

"It's funny that the outsiders have so much respect for me; players and other coaches love me to death. And I don't get that same feeling — the love ain't the same on the inside with the Bengals."

Bottom line: What does he think happens in 2008? Would it be in everyone's best interest if Johnson moves on, if things can be worked out to satisfy all parties?

"That would be a good ending to the story," Johnson says.

Rosenhaus helped Terrell Owens move on to a happy, productive home with the Dallas Cowboys after his bitter divorce with the Philadelphia Eagles. And Johnson and Owens just happen to be good friends.

Think of the teams that can use an upgrade at wide receiver: the Ravens, Eagles, Washington Redskins, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins are just a few.

Consider how the additions of Randy Moss and Welker helped the Patriots revamp their offense into a record-setting unit.

But there's another bottom line newly elected Hall of Fame receiver Art Monk wonders about.

"Today's players seem more worried about free agency and money," Monk says. "I took great pride in being a Redskin my entire career. I watch today's receivers, and they're so talented, but sometimes the grass isn't always greener."

It's something Chad Johnson might come to quickly realize if he no longer has quarterback Carson Palmer throwing his way or Houshmandzadeh keeping opposing defenses honest.