NFL Mishaps Abound – The Latest News on Suspensions and Arrests

We are now deep into the NFL off-season and this is usually one of the busiest times of the year.  Teams have practices, drills, and scrimmage games.  Scouts are on the lookout for players who may be ready to join their teams for the upcoming season.  Franchise offices are frantically designing and executing plans, trades, free agent signings, and other moves to make their teams stronger.  With all of these hectic things going on, it’s pretty safe to say that the NFL off-season is almost as exciting as the actual regular season itself!  Another factor that adds to the excitement of the off-season is the players themselves.  This is the time when players like to enjoy what time they have off from playing professional football, taking vacations, partying, and just enjoying themselves.  Unfortunately, the off-season is also the time when you hear a lot of news about players getting caught up with the law or getting fines and suspensions from the league.  In this article, we’re going to cover some of the latest news on suspensions and arrests in the NFL off-season. Former Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell charged with possession of codeine JaMarcus Russell is probably best known as the number 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders.  Russell came into the league as a promising prospect, but after three seasons with the Oakland Raiders, the team released him.  Now at age 24, Russell is facing charges for possession of a controlled substance known as codeine syrup, which is an opiate-based drug.  His arrest was the result of an undercover narcotics investigation that found him in possession of codeine without a prescription.  Investigation is still ongoing, but this development is almost certainly going to have a negative impact on Russel’s career. Browns DE Robaire Smith faced with handgun possession When Cleveland Browns defensive end Robaire Smith was getting ready to board his flight from Flint to Atlanta on November 6, 2009, he was stopped and questioned about a handgun that was found in his back via an airport X-ray machine.  The Belgium 5.7 caliber handgun had at least 15 bullets in the magazine and it was stored in his carry-on luggage.  Smith claimed that he had simply forgotten the gun in his bag.  The 10-year NFL veteran now faces misdemeanor charges that may lead to a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and a one year jail sentence. Titans QB Chris Simms faces charges for marijuana use A developing story places Tennessee Titans quarterback Chris Simms in the middle of a swirl of controversy that involves marijuana, driving, and a pregnant wife.  The incident escalated when Simms was stopped at a police checkpoint and he was found to have bloodshot eyes and he smelled like marijuana.  According to police reports, Simms was with his pregnant wife in the car and he told the officer that he had been smoking marijuana in the car earlier that day.  Now, Simms and his lawyer Nathan Semmel are saying Simms was referring to cigarettes and that the smell of marijuana may have come from the other passengers in the car (even though the police only noted Simms and his wife in the car with no other passengers).  This case is still under investigation, but if Simms gets convicted, he can face a $1,000 fine and up to one year jail time.