The Hollywood, Florida Police Department reportedly arrested Los Angeles Rams running back Tre Mason on drug and traffic charges on Saturday, March 5.
Mason’s charges include failure to register a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, reckless driving, and possession of marijuana, according to the Broward County Clerk of Courts. All charges appear to be misdemeanors at this time.
Mason’s arrest comes at a critical point for the Rams. The team begins free agency this week with multiple holes to fill on the roster. The running back position wasn’t thought to be a major concern, but with Benny Cunningham possibly leaving as a restricted free agent, the Rams need Mason in the fold. At the least, Mason’s actions could lead to a suspension at the beginning of the 2016 season.
The Rams selected Mason in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He surprised the league by rushing for 765 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games during his rookie year. However, Mason struggled after the Rams selected Todd Gurley in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Mason’s production dropped to only 207 rushing yards and a 2.8 average yards per carry (YPC) in 13 games last season, despite Gurley missing the first three games of the campaign.
It remains to be seen whether or not Mason will be able to put this incident and his 2015 performance behind him. If he can’t, the Rams may have a serious problem with its stable of running backs in 2016.
Derek Ciapala has been following the Rams since childhood. He has been published on Yahoo! Sports, Sports Out West and multiple other websites. You can check him out on Facebook or Twitter @dciapala.
