After Adolphus Washington was arrested on July 9 on a misdemeanor weapons charged, should the Buffalo Bills keep him on the roster?
When the Buffalo Bills selected Adolphus Washington in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, they expected Washington to step right in and be a part of the defensive line rotation. He did just that. In 2016, Washington played in all but one game for the Bills, starting in 11 and tallying 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
One could argue though that Washington had an up and down year for the Bills, however, as interim head coach Anthony Lynn had to bench Washington for the final game of the season due to his poor play and effort in practice. Despite that fact, he proved to be a key contributor for the Bills as a rookie.
On July 9, 2017, Washington was arrested outside of an Ohio waterpark on a misdemeanor weapon charge. According to Sports Illustrated, Washington was in the front seat of a car leaving the waterpark when he pulled out his gun and “displayed” it while in the parking lot. Washington was later released that night.
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The Bills have been very quiet since Washington was arrested, and many are waiting for the Bills to release another statement on the future of Washington with the organization. The Bills brought in new head coach Sean McDermott to run a tight ship with a zero-tolerance policy for this kind of behavior.
This isn’t the first time Washington has been in trouble with the law. Back in 2015, Washington was arrested for soliciting a prostitute, which ultimately led to a suspension handed down by Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer.
The big question is, what should the Bills should do with Washington following this incident? Washington proved to be an important role player for the Bills last season, filling the gap in the absence of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcel Dareus when he was suspended last season. The Bills were looking for Washington to step up this season and play a significant role on the defensive line.
The final decision has to come from McDermott. By cutting Washington, the Bills would only save $200,000 against the cap, so there is very little financial benefit in releasing Washington. However the new Bills head coach would send a tough message to all his players in cutting Washington.
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A culture change has been in full force for the Bills this offseason, and by releasing Washington, the Bills would show the league that the organization requires professional behavior. If McDermott does decide to release Washington, the Bills will have a hole in the interior of their defensive line rotation.