10 NFL offseason headlines no fan wants to see

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number third overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 3, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones (24) against the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium. The bengals won 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

7. (Fill in name of favorite player) gets arrested or fails drug test

You can actually fill in the blank here with any promising player who let his team down through offseason jackassery. Some end up turning their careers around, while others, like Aaron Hernandez and Ray Rice, can never rebound from their actions. Hernandez is currently in prison for murder, while Rice was never able to restore his reputation (and, his career was on the decline when he was arrested for domestic violence.)

Whether the arrest is a surprise or the latest in a long history of poor decisions, nobody wants to see their favorite player sidelined due to an arrest. Considering what is at stake for NFL franchises, it is hard to empathize with an athlete who makes a choice that jeopardizes his team’s success.

In 2005, cornerback Adam Jones was the Tennessee Titans’ first-round pick. Despite some off-field troubles his rookie year, Jones made an impact on the Titans defense with 44 tackles and 10 passes defensed. On special teams, he had nearly 1,400 return yards. His sophomore season, he returned to the Titans and ended the season with 62 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, 12 passes defensed, and four interceptions.

Titans fans surely had high hopes for Jones during his third season with the team. After all, in addition to solid numbers, he had generated exciting, game-changing plays, including an interception against Eli Manning that helped the Titans overcome a 21-point deficit against the Giants.

The 2007 offseason brought unwelcome news for Titans fans. Adam “Pacman” Jones was connected to a strip club shooting, the latest misstep in a series of poor judgement off-field. Jones accepted a plea deal and was given a suspended prison sentence of a year. He ended up suspended for the 2007 season and after two seasons, the Titans 2005 first-round pick was done with the team.

More recently, talented wide receiver Josh Gordon disappointed Cleveland Browns fans by incurring an indefinitely-long suspension for repeatedly violating the team’s substance abuse policy. Gordon’s case is particularly frustrating for fans since he has enough talent to transform a team, something he can’t do while suspended.

Next: 6. St. Louis Rams move to Los Angeles

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