Rashard Robinson’s quest to make the New York Jets roster just became more difficult, as his suspension stems from a drug possession arrest.
A ball has yet to be snapped for the New York Jets this season, yet the absences are already starting to pile up.
Cornerback Rashard Robinson, set to enter his second season in green, has been suspended for the first four games by the NFL for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. The team announced the suspension on Wednesday afternoon, one day before the team reports for its 2018 training camp activities.
The suspension for Robinson, 23, stems from a December arrest, where New Jersey police found marijuana-laced candy in his car when he was pulled over in Morris County. He was arrested and charged with drug possession and driving carelessly as a result.
Legal troubles likewise haunted Robinson in college at LSU. He was suspended midway through the 2014 season after he failed a drug test and was later charged with unauthorized entry into a teammate’s apartment in June 2015. He later enrolled at Broward College in Florida and was selected in the fourth round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2016 draft.
The Jets, seeking secondary depth after numerous injuries, obtained Robinson in a trade last October, sending over a fifth-round pick. He played 20 defensive snaps over six games, starting the Jets’ December win over Kansas City. He was inactive for the final two games of the season in what head coach Todd Bowles called a “coaching decision”.
Robinson is allowed to partake in all preseason practices and games. He is currently in a battle to make the roster, battling a crowded Jets cornerback depth chart headlined by Trumaine Johnson, Morris Claiborne, and Buster Skrine. Should he make the team, he’ll be eligible to return in the Jets’ Week 5 game against the Denver Broncos.
Though the league has yet to confirm, NFL Network reported last week that receiver ArDarius Stewart would likewise be suspended, albeit two games, for performance-enhancing drugs.
