Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker
 |
| Henry |
Time will tell if the Cincinnati Bengals made the right move in cutting wide receiver Chris Henry.
Following Monday's news of Henry's assault charge being dropped, his April release before the legal system ran its course could be viewed as premature. The incident led to his fifth arrest, which resulted in a swift termination by a Cincinnati team desperate to improve its image.
In all fairness, the Bengals were patient during Henry's previous four arrests since 2005. The fifth arrest told the team that, at the very least, Henry continues to put himself in precarious situations.
But what happens if Henry learns from his mistakes from this point forward? What if, after his suspension likely is lifted by the NFL, Henry finally "gets it" in what could be his final opportunity?
Coaches and former teammates often say if Henry's maturity ever catches up to his ability, he could become a quality NFL receiver. If that indeed happens the Bengals, who could be without starting receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh in 2009, would turn out to be the biggest losers.
H
