by Bruce Bostwick

Created on: July 20, 2009

The Cleveland Browns should have a major decision in terms of Donte Stallworth. It has more to do with the distraction and the fact he committed a crime. He may not get released due to the fact that it could have an impact on the salary cap but there has to be a way to get around it. It would be best for the good of the organization to let a distraction like that go.

What Stallworth did was get involved in a tragic story. He was drinking and then went behind the wheel and hit a pedestrian. When checked, his alcohol limit was beyond the legal limit, which is .08. Looking at it even further, it may not have been intentional but the sentence was extremely light. Though probably being a star has to do with it, the Reyes family was paid an undisclosed amount of money.

Roger Goodell has suspended him due to the crime he had committed. It was done as an order of not putting up with football players misbehaving in such a manner. Michael Vick got hit harder for more than dog torture. Who knows if he will get involved in the league and which team would want to take a chance because it could very well be a public relations nightmare.

He had signed a contract of seven years worth $35 million. However, it could be said that it would be best to simply find a way to buy him out of his contract letting him go as a free agent. There is no need for a player like that on a team that has had nothing go right pretty much from the beginning. Besides, what message does it send to Browns fans about him on the field?

This isn't to say he should not get a chance to play in the NFL again but more of a case of him being off the Browns roster. As far as what does he contribute to the team? He is okay but not a major leader on the team. Most likely, he could end up with a team like the Bengals or even the Raiders since it seems that they will take anyone in the first place.

By keeping a man who probably should have gotten a harsher sentence, it really is telling of what the motivation would be. Could it be a sense of being too loyal? Again, if money is an issue, simply just buy him out and have him become a free agent. That is all that can be done at this time. He shouldn't be on the team due to the fact that he could cause a potentially distraction off the field and even on the field as well.

Assuming he will play again in the league, he will have to figure out how to keep himself out of any more trouble. Otherwise, he could be someone that could be asked what could have been in that regard.

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