News feeds
E-mail alerts
Mobile
Text alerts
Twitter
Facebook
Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > July > 18 > Entry
On the phone … with Chris Henry
DON’T EXPECT BENGALS
TO RE-SIGN CHRIS HENRY
===LUDWIG AT LARGE’S gut feeling is the Bengals will not re-sign Chris Henry. He’s a fine receiver, but the club chose to release him on April 3, and it should stick to it. Henry is a good guy — when he’s in the locker room. But when he’s outside that sanctuary, history shows that trouble seems to follow him. He needs a fresh start. Unfortunately for Bengals fans, Henry’s fresh start could be in Baltimore, Cleveland or Pittsburgh.===
So I dial up Chris Henry’s agent, Marvin Frazier, from the comfort of the Miamisburg War Room on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., and he tells me that Chris is “doing great,” That several teams have contacted him, and the Bengals are one of the teams interested in signing him.
“He’s fine with it,” Frazier said, “as long as everybody accepts him. He’s gotten past everything. He’s paid his dues. He’s done everything he’s supposed to do. This last situation was something that happened. He’s gotten past it. He’s grown up. All he wants to do right now is get on with his life.”
Then Frazier said, “Chris is right next to me,” and he handed his cell phone to Henry for a little chat with The Chickster.
In Henry’s words:
“Oh, man, I was very relieved (about the court case). Just getting that over with was big for me. It just feels good to be done with that stuff and be able to move on with my life. Now we’re just waiting for the league to get back with us with a date to go see the commissioner.
“Just going through this taught me a lot. I want to get back to doing what I love and that’s playing football. That’s basically what I’m trying to do. I’m just going to tell him everything, just be myself and hopefully he’ll give me that chance to prove that to him.
“I wouldn’t mind (returning to Cincinnati). I would like that. There’s no hard feeling on my part with the Bengals. There’s nothing like that. I want to come back and play with Chad, T.J. and Carson, and everybody else.
“Hopefully, I can get reinstated and then get signed by a team and be able to get back out there on the field and be able to get into a training camp. I’ve been working out in Charlotte, N.C.
“You already know what I can do on the field. I’m just trying to get out there and make plays and help any team out that I have a chance to play for.”
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By Jon Brooks
July 18, 2008 6:06 AM | Link to this
Chicky baby, I think the Bengals would be smart to take a look at him, they just can’t continue to lose talented young players like Thurman, Pollack and Henry and expect to compete. (See Browns draft history 99’ through 04’, it crippled the team for years. As a Browns fan with Joe J. a question mark, I would expect Phil Savage to at least take a look, I could imagine a “team friendly” incentive based contract would be in order.By Chick Ludwig
July 18, 2008 8:41 AM | Link to this
Hey, JB, it’s always great hearing from you. Browns draft history is a great lesson for ALL NFL teams. Enjoy the season!By Jack
July 18, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
Wow, chickie, you took down my post. Even more pathetic.By Chick Ludwig
July 18, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
Jack: I didn’t take it down. I ripped it down. Because it was wrong. Feel free to call my work phone to discuss (937-225-2253). Cheers, ChickBy Troy
July 18, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
Hi, Chick Lets see we drafted Andre Caldwell, Jerome Simpson, and the kid from Louisville. It would be a tragedy to bring Henry back and as far as Thurman goes he does not deserve to play in the NFL. David Pollack had to retire from a serious neck injury. Takecare, TDTMBy psychostats
July 18, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this
Here’s the scenario: The Bengals sign Henry and he eventually reestablishes himself as a big weapon in their offense. Then, during mid season — let’s say Steelers Week — Henry gets in trouble AGAIN. Lewis reacts by benching his wayward receiver. So now we’re missing a key guy in a crucial game. Does anybody really want to chance that?By Mr. Nipsy
July 19, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this
The Bengals released him, so they wouldn’t get fined I’m taking it, if he was found guilty? How silly of me, to think they released him based on principle, or as a result of learning a lesson etc…, or to set an example to other team members. Henry had a bad year, as a result of the 0-line’s overrated protection and performance more than anything, just as Chad had a “down” year (no time to throw deep balls accurately often enough). I’m not sure he’ll help them this year, just move on and it’s too bad they didn’t upgrade any position on the interior o-line. Just watch, this is a .500 team at best again. No room to run consistently enough, no time to let patterns develop to throw downfield (thus a stingy running game). Carson is simply great and gets rid of the ball quickly, like Kitna did here…thus the low sack #’s given up, but poor offensive performance, in particular the running game. Paul Alexander is not a good NFL o-line coach btw, let alone an Assistant HC. This team doesn’t need Chad or Henry, it needs better 0-lineman, as usual, and better defensive personnel…where they skimp and draft poorly.