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Recommitted Chris Henry Could Be Key to Cincinnati Bengals’ Season
Published: July 21, 2009
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Chris Henry is a lot of things to a lot of people. To some, he’s a thug. To others, he’s a national punchline. But to the Cincinnati Bengals, he could be one of the big differences between making the playoffs or staying home.
By now, Henry’s story is old news. He dropped to the third round of the 2005 draft because of problems on and off the field at West Virginia and quickly got into trouble in Cincinnati.
In a six-month span from December 2005 to June 2006, he was arrested four times for, among other things, providing alcohol to underage girls and waving a firearm at a police officer. After a fifth arrest last spring, the Bengals cut him.
But all of that appears to be in the past. He has not had an incident since that run-in in spring 2008 and the New Orleans native swears he’s all business now.
“I just got tired of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Henry said. “I had to do it for me and my family. I love to play football and I didn’t want to blow it.”
Count Carson Palmer as a believer. The Bengals’ two-time Pro Bowl quarterback has been working with Henry on and off the field and says he sees a difference in the talented, but troubled receiver.
“He’s had an offseason like no other; he’s worked here every single day,” Palmer said. “He has a great attitude. I’m just really proud of the guy. I’m happy for him. He’s at a good place in his life, a good place for his family. He’s showed up to work here and he will all year long. There’s not a doubt about that.”
Lost in the quagmire that has been Henry’s personal life is the fact that he is actually a very good receiver. As a rookie, he earned Palmer’s trust and emerged as a dangerous threat, especially in the red zone. In his first 17 games, he had 42 receptions and eight touchdowns.
But as the arrests mounted, his play suffered. The Bengals re-signed him just before training camp last year and after sitting out his NFL-mandated four-game suspension, he caught just 19 passes and scored only twice.
At 6-foot-4, Henry provides Palmer with the kind of big target that quarterbacks drool over. And he has the speed to get downfield and stretch defenses.
With Chad OchoCinco’s decision to sit out most of the voluntary camps, Henry has gotten most of the attention from his quarterback. And Palmer has helped Henry in more ways than simply running routes.
“He’s always supported me and talked to me when I was going through tough times,” Henry said. “He’s a good guy. He’s always looking for me and I’m there all the time.”
With T. J. Houshmandzadeh gone via free agency and OchoCinco coming off a down year, the Bengals need Henry to step up in a big way. Even with the signing of Laveranues Coles, the Bengals could find themselves in a position without a dynamic receiving corps.
That’s where Henry could shine. With a strong off-season behind him, and a full training camp ahead of him, Henry could finally emerge as the player the Bengals thought they were getting five years ago. And in the process, give themselves the best receiving trio in the league.
But it all comes down to staying on the field and staying out of trouble. Something both Henry and his teammates say he is committed to doing.
“He’s changed,” said defensive tackle Domata Peko. “People think he has this bad image, but when you get to know him, he’s really a cool guy, a humble guy, a regular person just like everyone else.”
“It’s totally different now. I’m not worried about anything negative in my life. I’m enjoying my time out here with my teammates and going home to be with my family,” Henry said.
