Evans faces litany of charges

After the last minicamp ended, it seemed as if news from the football world would come to a grinding halt, as players and coaches went away on vacations before the beginning of training camp in late July. Football news would take a break from the 24/7 media whirlwind that it is. Alas, even though the pads are off and most of the team is away from the facilities, DT Fred Evans made some poor decisions and wound up making some football- related news after all.

On Saturday, Evans was arrested on Miami Beach. He was charged with battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and trespassing.

The situation began with an argument between Evans and his taxi driver. When police arrived, Evans refused to exit the cab. A physical struggle then ensued, as the police tried to handcuff Evans. One officer was bitten on the wrist, while another sustained bruises to the knees. Evans had to be Tasered multiple times before submitting.

What had just looked like a promising young career not a couple weeks back, has now turned into a very ugly story. By all accounts, Evans looked sharp from the day he joined the Dolphins, and he was expected to be a part of the defensive line rotation this season. Those plans are now in serious jeopardy, however. You can't get away with harming a police officer. That's just plain idiotic behavior. What's more is that every single NFL player by now should be well acquainted with new Commissioner Roger Goodell's justifiably harsh personal conduct policy. There's absolutely no excuse for a player acting like Evans did, and it would not surprise me in the least to see him get cut - even if his level of skill would suggest he deserves a roster spot.

It's a shame that this has happened. There will almost assuredly be punishment brought down by Goodell, but perhaps the level will be lessened since this is Fred's first run-in with the conduct policy. On the other hand, he did injure police officers, and that is inexcusable.