Thoughts on Henry, draft, Chad, Rudi
Back at it after a couple of much-needed days off:
Item 1: Chris Henry. Henry is out of jail and back at his downtown apartment, under home incarceration. He is unemployed and will almost certainly face stiff NFL discipline under the league's personal conduct policy, which was the reason for 10 games of suspension the previous two seasons. Another team could pick him up off waivers, but that is unlikely. But you never know. A lot of NFL coaches have messiah complexes, that they can save a player that no one else could.
Though there is a general sadness among many Bengals fans about Henry squandering his talent and opportunity, the Bengals' decision to waive Henry is seen as addition by subtraction. Now the team is likely to spend a higher draft pick on a wide receiver, not necessarily in the first or second rounds, but they do have two third-rounders. Productive NFL receivers can be found in Round 3, for sure. The Bengals would favor a receiver with kickoff-return experience in college.
Back to Henry: He always was polite and soft-spoken with me in the locker room. I never dealt with him away from the stadium, though his legal-system exploits ate many days and nights chasing down details. I talked by phone the other day with T.J. Houshmandzadeh about Henry. He said my observations of Henry were his, as well. Polite, professional in the building. But unable to handle himself away from the stadium. I credit the Bengals for sticking the Chris Henry, the person, for as long as they did. They can't be criticized for cutting ties for the betterment of the team.
Item 2: Chad Johnson. When all is said about Henry, and it almost is, the key to the offseason will be Marvin Lewis' management ability as head coach to get Johnson back in the fold and pointed in the same direction as his teammates -- toward the goal of postseason play. Whether Lewis can reel Johnson back in will be the defining action of his tenure as Bengals coach.
Item 3: Sedrick Ellis. Many mock drafts have Ellis, the talented Southern Cal defensive tackle, falling to the Bengals with the ninth overall pick. The Bengals, including defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, were at the Southern Cal pro day workouts last week, according to USA Today. An astounding 25 NFL prospects worked out. Linebacker Keith Rivers stole the show, according to the paper.
But Ellis outdid his workout performance at the NFL scouting combine in February. He was 11 pounds lighter, down to 297 pounds.
The Bengals and Saints, who pick at No. 10, already have arranged for Ellis to make pre-draft visits for a closer medical look.
Item 4: NFL regular season schedule. It is likely to be released this week or early next week by the NFL. Opponents already are known, but the schedule will provide times and dates of any prime-time games.
Home: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Washington.
Away: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis, Dallas, New York Jets and New York Giants.
Item 5: Rudi Johnson. I was impressed by the serious tone and message coming from Rudi Johnson in a phone conversation I had last week with the tailback. He is determined to regain the form that made him a 1,400-yard runner in 2004 and 2005. The hamstring that forced him to miss five games in 2007 is healed. There's a chip on his shoulder, though, which is a positive sign for Bengals fans.
8 Comments:
Marvin needs to suck up his pride and reach a hand out to Chad. From listening to Chad's comments he is only looking for a little love from the organization. Chad is a handful but we obviously need him at this point.
Rudi on the other hand is done. He can talk all he wants about being ready this year but we all know that running backs past the age of 28 dont last long. Hopefully this will be his last year.
Isn't Roger Goodell on record as saying that this was Chris Henry's "last chance"? If he is to be taken seriously in the future, it seems that he has no choice but to ban Henry for life.
Peterman, I couldn't disagree more. Chad is the one who needs to suck it up and become a team player. He needs to realize that it's a team sport, not the Chad Johnson Show.
P Trans...you've been caught in the Chad Johnson light. This is all about money. Not love, not winning, not respect...MONEY.
The fact that you and others (ESPN) don't see that and don't call him out on his tactics, drives me nuts.
hopefully the situation with Chad get worked out ASAP. because we could never get back Chad's full value.
Mark, since you brought up the fact the Bengals are likely to spend a higher draft pick on a WR, not necessarily in the first or second rounds, please research Jordy Nelson from Kansas State. 6-3 217 and a 4.51 40? Ninth ranked WR. Here's the kicker; The KID IS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE! One publication said he's the type of kid you'd want your daughter to marry!!!!! I can get the publication if you want! The kid has some size and speed. Heard he's hungry!! That's the type of kid our beloved Bengals could use!! Do you think Carson could embrace a kid like that a WR???
For my money, Chad is just another symptom of Mike's incompetence.
Marvin (don't like him personally) has to have authority to "hurt" Chad when he "goes off"..
Apparently, he doesn't have that.
Mike just wants cheap coaches that he can control. What're Marvin's options??
So dave I guess that would mean the owner of the Eagles is incompetent and that Andy Reid is a pansy as well??? T.O. did the same exact thing to them and they handled it the same way the offseason before it went down.
Tell us oh wise one what would you have done if you were in MB shoes? Fired Chad and got nothing out of it. Take him outside and spank him???
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