Nicholson Released From Bengals

 I’m sure by now you’ve heard that the Bengals have released AJ Nicholson due to conduct detrimental to the team (i.e., he was arrested for allegedly hitting his girlfriend, a claim she now denies).   What some are asking is whether this was fair to him since his girlfriend said that she hit herself when she grabbed a cell phone from his hand. But Nicholson was already on a short leash. His arrest last year during the Bengals spat of 9 in a row drew a lot of attention, and the team was already rumored to be thinking of releasing him then. The fact that he was even involved in another police matter was the final straw for the team. Essentially, he was going through the same probation period Pacman is going through now – be good and we’ll welcome you back, but risk being cut if you aren’t.  

 This is unfortunate because Nicholson is so talented. He was a beast at Florida
State, and was considered a first round talent before his suspension and eventual dismissal from the team. Even the Bengals themselves, who took him in the fifth round, had high hopes for him developing into a standout linebacker. Everybody knows what he could be, but he may have trouble finding a new team now – especially with the commissioner’s new policy. Teams are a lot more skittish now about taking NFL players with prior violations (college players with priors apparently are different stories).   Wherever he lands, the potential teams are probably limited. It’s too soon to know where he’ll land, but he will land somewhere. Hopefully he’ll be able to piece his life together, for the good, and let his talent show itself on the field.