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Never a dull moment in Cincinnati folks. Not even in the first week of April and certainly not when you boast as flaky a batch of wideouts as the Bengals have -- or had. You see, the ranks have suddenly been thinned a bit.

As Bengals.com online editor Geoff Hobson framed it this morning: "The short, troubled career of wide receiver Chris Henry came to an end Thursday morning when the club released him just hours after he turned himself in on an assault arrest. ..."

Henry, who endured two NFL suspensions following his four arrests from December of 2005 to June of 2006, said just last week that he was looking forward to finally having a full season with his teammates. He has been charged with assaulting a University of Cincinnati freshman in a Monday night incident in the Clifton section of Cincinnati.

Bengals president Mike Brown issued the following statement:

"Chris Henry has forfeited his opportunity to pursue a career with the Bengals. His conduct can no longer be tolerated.

"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 who 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."

According to Channel 12 in Cincinnati, Gregory Meyer claims Henry threw a bottle, shattering his car window and punched him in the face outside his apartment complex. The station said Henry told police it was a case of mistaken identity.

Hobson went on to remind readers that before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Henry for the first eight games of the 2007 season, Henry caught 67 balls that included 15 touchdowns. He had two last season on just 21 catches.

He may never play again since Goodell informed him he was giving him one more chance. ...

That possibility prompted Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio to suggest (at least somewhat in jest): "We wonder whether disgruntled Bengals receiver Chad Johnson is now contemplating a mini-crime spree."

Johnson has been demanding a trade, but indicated in an ESPN interview Wednesday that he'll report to mandatory activities.

In a remarkable interview with ESPN's Brian Kenny -- aired on "SportsCenter" last night -- Johnson responded to head coach Marvin Lewis' comments that the team is prepared to move on without him.

Johnson said that "I will never change" and that he no longer cares about making other people happy.

ESPN.com's James Walker reminded readers this morning that Lewis drew the line with Johnson during this week's league meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The coach held firm that a trade will not happen and that Johnson will have to answer to his teammates one way or another.

Lewis added that it is unfortunate Johnson put himself in this situation, because people that had "affection" for Johnson now view him in a different light.

As Walker noted, the comments clearly impacted Johnson as they were read to him.

"Affection? Affection?" Johnson asked. "That's the problem right there. That's the problem. I'm always worried about making people want to like me, the player. The player is not going to change. But Chad has to do what's right for Chad, whether they like the light or not. It doesn't matter. That's the problem. I have to do what's right for me. Period."

Johnson didn't stop there.

"That's why (Lewis) made the comment (about) the people that had affection," he continued. "He thinks I'm worried about people liking me. Those days are over. I'm not worried about them anymore, because I have to do what's right for me. Getting myself out of a losing situation, if that's what I have to do, then I have to do it."

Johnson added that he didn't want Lewis to "take any bullets for me," as the coach said he would if Johnson returned to the team this season and conducted himself in a professional manner.

Johnson suggested that he would show up when required.

"My plans are to show up and embarrass everybody that tries to cover me," he said.

By the end on the interview, Johnson appeared at a loss for words.

"I mean, I don't know," Johnson said. "We got to do better, that's it, period. We've got to do better. As a whole. As a whole. And if we don't, we're fooling ourselves."

I would suggest that doing better will be a much more daunting task with Henry no longer on the roster.

The next player behind Pro Bowlers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Johnson is Antonio Chatman with just 22 Bengals catches in two injury-marred seasons.

And if Johnson's antics continues -- and there's no real reason to believe they won't -- it will only add to the team's issues. As Florio suggested this morning, Johnson is just "too emotional and strong willed to control himself once he's back in the fold with the team."

Florio went on to express his belief that Johnson's comments over the past two months, during which he openly has pleaded for teams in other cities to acquire him, were made contrary to the advice of agent Drew Rosenhaus, who learned how not to handle a situation like this three years ago when representing Owens.

Florio further speculated: "Rosenhaus will plead with Chad to behave when Chad reports for mandatory mini-camps and/or training camp. And, just as surely, Chad won't be able to do so, no matter how badly he might want to.

"We definitely will have our popcorn ready."

I would suggest we all do the same. ...

Also in Cincinnati. ... Lewis told reporters earlier this week that Kenny Irons, rehabbing from reconstructive knee surgery, won't be available for the May and June camps and he's not sure of the status Chris Perry (dislocated ankle) for those on-field workouts.

Perry has been cleared to take part in the team's off-season conditioning program, but apparently still has a way to go. ...

That would seem to put some onus on Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson because Lewis also reiterated his offense is going to go back to basics and run the ball.

"This is going to be what's important," Lewis said here at the AFC coaches media breakfast. "Everybody thinks it's cute to throw the ball around the lot, but you don't win games throwing the ball around the lot."

Ah. ... Yet another development sure to confound Ocho Cinco.