With the door slammed shut on Shannon Sharpe's return to ESPN, the network seems intent on finding a suitable sports figure who can go toe-to-toe with Stephen A. Smith. But it looks like they may have their eyes set on someone already.

Sports insiders are speculating that the former NFL star could be the answer to ESPN's now vacant seat on First Take following Sharpe's firing.

Scandal-plagued Shannon Sharpe has been dumped by ESPN. Could the worldwide leader replace him with a buddy? According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, ESPN appears to be considering Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson as the new personality on "First Take''