The Bengals' decision on Thursday to cut wide receiver Chris Henry creates uncertainty both for the team as it prepares for the upcoming NFL Draft and for the troubled fourth-year player whose once-promising career is in jeopardy following five arrests in 28 months. Just before Henry was in Hamilton County Municipal Court on Thursday pleading not guilty to charges of assault and criminal damaging, Bengals president Mike Brown announced the wide receiver no longer will play for his team. As a result, the Bengals are likely to put the wide receiver position high on their list of priorities for the April 26-27 NFL Draft, and Henry faces the possibility of a life without a job in professional football. ADVERTISEMENT Henry was the Bengals' third wide receiver, behind Pro Bowl players Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, last season. The team's fourth receiver, Tab Perry, signed with Miami as a free agent in March. What once was a deep position for Cincinnati now needs an infusion of talent and bodies. There already was talk of the team drafting a receiver who could return kickoffs, but now the Bengals could use one who can contribute immediately on offense. As for the 24-year-old Henry, Thursday's events might spell the end of his NFL career. He already has been suspended twice by the league for violating its personal conduct policy - for two games during the 2006 season and for the first eight games of 2007. Henry could face additional discipline from the NFL if another team tries to sign him. "It will be reviewed in due course and depending on developments," NFL communications vice president Greg Aiello said Thursday. Henry's size and speed gave Cincinnati another deep threat to its offense, but his off-field decisions cost him and the team. During his time with the Bengals, Henry was accused of possession of marijuana in Northern Kentucky, carrying a concealed weapon in Florida, drunken driving in Ohio and providing alcohol to minors in Northern Kentucky. In that case, he served two days in jail in 2006 after pleading guilty to a charge of letting minors drink alcohol in a hotel room he had rented. Still, Houshmandzadeh said Thursday he thought Henry had turned the corner. "I thought it was over," he said of his former teammate's string of off-field problems. "I'm sure he is upset. But how upset can you be if you continually put yourself in situations like that?" FAILING TO TURN THE CORNER Henry's latest problem stems from an incident Monday. A woman who says she's a friend of Henry allegedly threatened a man, identified in court documents as Gregory Meyer, 18, who police say later was attacked by the football player. Henry's lawyer, Perry Ancona, disputed the allegations in the sworn complaint. "We have a different set of facts we ask the court to consider," Ancona said. Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Bernie Bouchard ordered Henry jailed on $51,000 bond and, after citing Henry's criminal history, told him, "You've kind of become a one-man crime wave." By that time, Henry already was an ex-Bengal. In a statement released by the team at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Brown said he was cutting ties to the player. "Chris Henry has forfeited his opportunity to pursue a career with the Bengals. His conduct can no longer be tolerated," Brown said. "The Bengals tried for an extended period of time to support Chris and his potentially bright career. We had hoped to guide him toward an appropriate standard of personal responsibility that this community would support and that would allow him to play in the NFL. "We acknowledge those fans (that) had concerns about Chris; at the same time, we tried to help a young man. But those efforts end today, as we move on with what is best for our team." Henry had been participating in the team's offseason strength and conditioning program, which started March 24, when he told reporters his problems were behind him. Bengals running back Rudi Johnson said he had Henry to his house many times and talked with him frequently about the importance of making better life choices. "He would say he was determined to turn his life around," Johnson said. "But he was telling me one thing and doing another." Offensive lineman Anderson said teammates knew Henry, a native of New Orleans, had several family members living with him because of Hurricane Katrina. "More than just the Bengals were depending on him," Anderson said. A RISKY ADDITION The Bengals had plenty riding on Henry playing a productive role again on the field. He signed a five-year contract on July 28, 2005, and received an $865,000 signing bonus after being picked in the third round of the 2005 draft. In 35 career games, including 11 starts, Henry had 88 receptions, 17 for touchdowns. He was due to make a $520,000 base salary in 2008 - the league minimum for a player with three credited NFL seasons. The team will not have to pay Henry, and the decision to waive him frees some room for the Bengals under the league's salary cap. Besides Johnson and Houshmandzadeh, receivers Glenn Holt, Antonio Chatman, Marcus Maxwell and Bennie Brazell are all under contract with the Bengals. Houshmandzadeh said he thought the Bengals would look at wide receivers even before they cut ties with Henry. "But I don't think they could bring in a guy who is any better than the players we already have on the roster," Houshmandzadeh said. " ... I think the guys we already have will rise to the occasion." There is no clear consensus among draft gurus, but the group of potential first- and second-round wide receivers includes Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly, California's DeSean Jackson, Michigan's Mario Manningham, Michigan State's Devin Thomas, Texas' Limas Sweed, LSU's Early Doucet and Indiana's James Hardy. Sweed and Thomas also have returned kicks in college. The Bengals have five of the draft's first 112 selections. They will select ninth in the first round and then have the Nos. 46, 77, 97 and 112 picks overall through the fourth round. The loss of Henry also complicates Bengals coach Marvin Lewis' plan to strengthen the team's running game, one of his goals this offseason. Earlier this week at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., Lewis said the team got away from its run offense. "We got too cute," Lewis said in reference to an overdependence on passing.