FA WR Chris Henry Free to Sign with Any NFL Team, 4 Game Suspension Starting 2008
The NFL has handed down a relatively light punishment to Ex-Bengal Chris Henry, who will be forced to sit out the first 4 games of the 2008 season. Also, he is now free to sign with any NFL team that may desire his services during the coming season.
As happens in fantasy circles, the availability of such a talented (although also troubled) player is intriguing to fantasy owners in search of a “bargain” pick during their upcoming draft. With Henry on the open market of free agency, speculation about Henry’s destination is rampant on the Footballguys.com message board, with opinions ranging from “I would like to see them (the Eagles) get him” to “This would be a good opportunity for the NFL to show players they won’t put up with thuggery. All owners should ban together and black ball (Henry).”
As I point out in my article “Managing Risk on your 2008 Fantasy Roster”,
“Off-field problems can lead to league suspensions, which vary in length from 4 games to entire seasons - in extreme circumstances, a player can even be banned from the NFL for life. If a player has had a series of run-ins with law enforcement, or has a history of substance-abuse problems, that player is a higher risk for suspension than better-behaved professional athletes (although sometimes even “nice” guys can give you a nasty surprise).”
It is certainly the case with Chris Henry that drafting him for your fantasy squad is a risky proposition. The guy is said to be a good team mate on the field and in the locker room, but off the field he is prone to getting into trouble (from buying alcohol for under-age girls to assaulting other young men, he’s had an extensive history of run-ins with law enforcement). He is also a poor money manager, as the auctioning of his house earlier this year and his request that the state pay for a transcript of his latest trial (because he was too broke to pay the fee) illustrates. Henry doesn’t make good decisions in his private life.
When the time comes and Henry signs with a NFL team, take time to reflect on his past history (and the value of the draft pick you are considering investing in Henry). Personally, I wouldn’t want to count on Henry for anything more important than WR6 on my roster - a deep-in-the-draft, “flyer” type pick that is speculative. He is simply too volatile off the field to warrant a more important pick.
Happy Drafting!
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