There could very well be another professional football league inside state penitentiaries. Could you imagine? “Michael Vick going deep for Plaxico Burress, with chains on his feet, he still scores!” Football players are getting arrested more than they are contributing to their teams, or so it feels. Some of the premier players in the league have either gotten arrested, or gotten caught up in the league’s drug policy. Regardless, the outcomes in the league are the same: Suspensions. What teams will be impacted the most by their players foolishness?
Daryl Washington, Linebacker, Arizona Cardinals
This one hurts the Cards, bad. After the team let Karlos Dansby walk in free agency, news comes down that Washington is suspended for the entire year. This isn’t the first time for Washington, either. Last season, he was suspended the first four games of the year as well. Washington, when on the field, is just money. In his suspension-shortened 2013 campaign, he totaled 75 combined tackles and three sacks in 12 games. In 2011 and 2012, he combined for over 200 tackles, three interceptions and 14 sacks, while only missing one game.
His play earned him a big time pay day. According to Spotrac.com, he signed a four year, $32 million dollar deal, with a signing bonus a little over two million dollars, and five million guaranteed. So far he has not shown, whatsoever, that he is committed to the team and his play with these suspensions. On top of said suspensions, he also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in March.
So where do the Cardinals go from here? On the roster as of right now, is veterans Larry Foote and Ernie Sims. Also available, is second year pro, and second round pick Kevin Minter. Foote played in one game last season, and then went on injured reserve with a torn bicep. So what the team should expect out of him is a crapshoot to predict. Sims seems to thrive in these oppurtunites. Late in the offseason, someone needs a linebacker, and Sims is always called. He has been very serviceable in his pro career, spending the last two seasons in Dallas where he totaled 86 tackles in two seasons. With the great defense in Arizona, surely they will figure it out. Hey, maybe the honey badger can play linebacker.
Josh Gordon, Wide Receiver, Cleveland Browns
Once again, ouch. After an extremely promising season with a carousel of quarterbacks, Gordon is done for the season, per reports. Nothing has been made official, and that is the only hope that the dog pound has. After a fairly impressive rookie season, Gordon went nuts last year. Totaling over 1,600 yards through the air, and nine touchdowns.
This one may not even be about the franchise, as much as it’s the player himself. This is Gordon’s third time disobeying the league's drug policy. The Browns have consulted with substance abuse professionals to see if they can get help for the troubled receiver.
With news that their best receiver, by a mile, out for a 16-game slate, what do they do know? Well, the team signed Miles Austin, Nate Burleson and Andrew Hawkins. None of which really pop off the page, but all can be serviceable in Gordon’s absence. Austin is made of glass, but he has went over 1,000 yards twice, and has over 30 career touchdowns. Burleson is another player with health concerns, but has also proven to be a good player when healthy. In 2009-2011, his last healthy stretch, he caught at least 55 balls each year. Hawkins is young, only going into his fourth year, and he has shown minor flashes while in Cincy. Last season, while only catching 12 passes in eight games, he averaged over 16 yards per catch.
Let’s not forget that the Browns still have a terrific young tight end in Jordan Cameron. And If Johnny Football starts, he doesn’t really need receivers, does he?
Ray Rice, Running Back, Baltimore Ravens
Rice had his worst season since his rookie year in 2013. And, while not like the first two in this list, he’s only suspended the first two games. The Ravens aren’t in that bad of shape, especially if Rice plays the way he did last year, averaging under four yards per carry.
Rice’s back-up, Bernard Pierce, had a down season last year as well, but showed that he can be great in his rookie season. That season, in 2012, he averaged nearly five yards a carry. Pierce is in the same position that Ben Tate was in while in Houston. If he can produce, and show that he can play and play well, he can get a nice, new shiny contract as well.
In the Ravens first two games face in-division opponents, the Bengals and Steelers. Both of whom, have solid defenses. While it may not seem like a big deal, only missing two games, Rice is a star running back in this league. If he can return to his old form, he could shoulder the load for this Ravens team. In a division that is really pretty wide open, losing two division games right off the bat could be detrimental.
Robert Mathis, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts
Yikes. Some offseason for the Colts, eh? The whole, owner getting arrested for drunk driving and having a controlled substance thing is...interesting.Former wide receiver LaVon Brazill was suspended for the entire season, followed up by the Colts saying sayonara, and cutting him. The biggest loss however, is Robert Mathis.
Mathis has been one of the most consistent pass rushers in the league, since he entered in 2003, amassing a total of 111 sacks in those eleven seasons. Last year, Mathis was the best player in the league at getting to the quarterback, with 19.5 sacks. The whole “consistency” thing? Yeah, he’s had at least nine sacks every year in his career, with the exception of two.
The suspension, widely documented, is quite unfortunate for not only the team, but the player. Mathis was taking a drug to help impregnate his wife, due to infertility issues. The drug is banned in the league, and even though Mathis stopped taking it after his wife conceived, the deed was done. The commish had no choice but to give him the suspension, or he would be setting some pretty shady standards.
Good news for the Colts however, is they face the Jaguars and Titans in two of those four games. They should be able to win those without their star defensive player. Bad news for the Colts, they open against Peyton Manning in Denver, then come home to face Chip Kelly and the Eagles. Luckily for the Colts, their division is awful, and should still have no problem winning it.