What did Travis Jonsen do? Buccaneers WR arrested in Tampa
Travis Jonsen faced an uphill battle to make it onto the 53-man roster for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luckily, he doesn't have to worry about that now, as he has been cut, after being charged with a DUI.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning after police officers witnessed him speeding and weaving between traffic. He was said to be exhibiting clear signs of intoxication when stopped by Tampa Bay police. He was later released on $500 bail.
Just to update: Bucs receiver Travis Jonsen was released from jail at 11:47 a.m. after posting $500 bond. Arrested early this morning on a misdemeanor DUI charge.
After the news broke, Bucs GM Jason Licht released the following statement:
"We expect members of our organization to uphold the high standards that have been established. We are aware of the situation regarding Travis Jonsen earlier this morning and will refrain from further comment at this time while the legal process continues."
The Buccaneers may not be commenting until after the legal process, but that did not stop them from cutting the Montana State product a few hours later, when Todd Bowles informed the media that Jonsen was no longer with the team.
The #Bucs are releasing WR Travis Jonsen, who was arrested Monday morning on a misdemeanor DUI charge, per HC Todd Bowles.
The former Tampa Bay WR has spent two years on the Bucs' practice squad, but never appeared in a regular-season game. Despite that, he does have a Super Bowl ring following Tampa Bay's 2020 success. However, he will now be seeking employment elsewhere.
The young wideout certainly did not help his cause by refusing a breath test, and he may very well find himself in hot water with the league with regard to their substance abuse policy.
Travis Jonsen vs. Zaven Collins: Not all DUIs are the same
Jonsen was miles down the depth chart in Tampa, so unfortunately for him, he is very expendable. Cutting the former Montana State star allowed GM John Licht to give the impression that his franchise has taken a firm stance and set up camp on the moral high ground.
But as we all know, in the NFL, the expected standards off the field are influenced by a player's ability on it. For example: If Chris Godwin were to face a similar situation next week, would anyone believe that he would find himself out of a job? Absolutely not!
Not all DUIs are the same, and there are recent NFL examples to prove it. Arizona Cardinals LB Zaven Collins was picked up on a DUI in Scottsdale in 2021. Months after he was selected 16th overall in the 2020 draft. Collins remained on the team, after a slap on the wrist.
Perhaps the Cardinals aren't the best example, as, in 2016, GM Steve Keim pled guilty to "extreme DUI." After a five-week suspension, he was back with the team and would go on to sign a new contract.