The Bengals have fired offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, according to a team source. Bratkowski's dismissal comes amid a trade request by Carson Palmer and Twitter comments by Chad Ochocinco that have criticized head coach Marvin Lewis. Lewis agreed to an extension with Cincinnati earlier this month. Bratkowski had run Cincinnati's offense for 10 years.

Chad Ochocinco is vowing to change his name back to Chad Johnson. "I've done enough with this Ocho thing. It was fun," the receiver said on ESPN's "NFL Live." Ochocinco cautioned that switching his last name back to Johnson won't be official until he legally changes it. Before the 2008 season, Ochocinco, then Johnson, announced he would change his name to Ocho Cinco to reflect the No. 85 on the back of his Bengals jersey. He has one year left on his contract.

Bengals owner Mike Brown says that he has no plans to trade quarterback Carson Palmer. Brown said that Palmer met with him a little more than a week ago and asked to be traded. The owner still sees Palmer as part of Cincinnati's core and plans to talk to him about remaining with the franchise. "He's good people," Brown said. "He made no demands. He is the way he is. He didn't finger anyone or anything." Palmer will contemplate retirement if the Bengals do not trade him, sources told ESPN.com's Chris Mortensen.

Carson Palmer plans to ask the Bengals to trade him, according to several sources. If Cincinnati doesn't fulfill Palmer's request, he will contemplate retirement. Palmer is under contract with the Bengals through the 2012 season. He has grown frustrated with the team's inconsistencies, according to sources. Several teams are expected to be in the market for a quarterback this offseason.

The odds of Cedric Benson re-signing with the Bengals appear slim, but coach Marvin Lewis is holding out hope. "Ced can be discouraged but Ced is going to answer your question and not look in the mirror and realize that he's part of that. Unfortunately we all are," Lewis said. "Ced's passion and energy will make us a great football team again and I don't want to curtail that and you have to take the bad with the good. I opened up the season talking that it was going to be difficult for Ced with all the attention going to the receivers and that he was going to have to hang through this." Benson will be an unrestricted free agent this season. He has had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis hosted Brad Childress on Thursday to talk football at Paul Brown Stadium before dining in downtown Cincinnati. The meeting has increased speculation that Childress could run Cincinnati's offense next season. He was fired as Minnesota's head coach during the season. The Bengals finished the season ranked 20th in offense and committed 34 turnovers in 2010. "We've been all over the board a little bit too much and I think we have to focus in on what we are and what we're going to be and how we're going to do it," Lewis said. "The most effective offensive teams in the league do things over and over again and they build upon that. More with less. "What upsets me is I can't tell who we are. My disappointment is I can't tell you what we are. The key to offense is to be offensive and stay offensive. What we are is a big statement. It has to be all-encompassing."

The Bengals picked up the $6 million option on the contract of wide receiver Chad Ochocinco at an undisclosed time. "There is no option," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said Wednesday on ESPN Radio. "Not anything like that people keep speaking about. He's just flat under contract." Ochocinco's contract status became a running subplot during the final weeks of Cincinnati's disappointing 4-12 season. Despite the option, the receiver isn't a lock to return to the team next season. All bonuses have been paid out, meaning the Bengals could trade or release the receiver, knowing all the guaranteed money already is gone.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis says he remains committed to quarterback Carson Palmer. "No question in my mind that Carson Palmer is our quarterback," Lewis said in an appearance on "Mike and Mike in the Morning." "He really weathered quite a storm this year and took another step as a leader." Palmer, who completed his seventh season as Cincinnati's starting quarterback, threw for 3,970 yards and 26 touchdowns, but his 20 interceptions tied his career-worst total.

Marvin Lewis has signed on to remain as Cincinnati's head coach, which could spell the end for Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens with the team. Even the team's official site hinted that roster changes will be made, writing the return of Lewis "would seem to seal the departure" of both Ochocinco and Owens. The Bengals hold a $6 million option for Ochocinco next season.

Marvin Lewis will remain the head coach of the Bengals. Lewis agreed to a contract extension on Tuesday after two days of negotiating changes in how the front office functions. The club didn't release details of the extension, which will make Lewis the longest-tenured head coach in franchise history.