Why Rivera Cut Derrius Guice
There was a time when NFL teams would empty prisons if it meant finding impact players. Indeed, Washington secured a quarterback’s release from a minimum-security prison during the 1987 player strike.
Social movements no longer allow teams to hide miscreants, though, and fans won’t always accept bad behavior in return for wins while shrugging boys will be boys. But Washington has shown in three different cases over the past two years that there’s no one way to handle players accused of wrongdoing.
Derrius Guice was released on Friday after charges of domestic violence were levied. Indeed, the team managed to cut Guice shortly before he turned himself into Loudoun County police with photos of him being handcuffed flooding social media.
It was a very different move than 2018 when Washington claimed linebacker Reuben Foster following his release for domestic violence charges in San Francisco. An uproar ensued over the move, but Washington opted to let legal channels decide Foster’s future and indeed, charges were later dropped. On Sunday, Foster was activated after missing last year with a knee injury.
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Meanwhile, receiver Cody Latimer was recently placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after multiple assault and weapons charges stemming from a May 15 poker game where he reportedly threatened to kill people.
Three violent situations with very different reactions. Rather than just releasing every player, Washington made the right call each time.
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“Each situation, each circumstance is unique,” Rivera said. “Each one will be handled and dealt with differently to what we believe is best for the organization going forward and that’s probably the most important thing.”
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Yet, there’s always mixed justice depending on a player’s value. Guice deserved to be released after multiple violent acts. The NFL has spent the last decade learning it can’t overlook such behavior.
But Guice’s value was free falling after his 2018 second-round selection. Major injuries to both knees over the past two seasons saw him play only five games. He was a talent, but Washington didn’t stock its backfield this year with five useable players believing Guice was a prime back. Those injuries left him day-to-day in the league so his release wasn’t a hard decision.
With Foster, the Redskins opted not to play him for the rest of the season after claimed while legal issues were resolved by the NFL. Sadly, Foster was injured just three snaps into his offseason camp debut last year. But, he’s finally healthy and could make a big impact. That’s why Washington was willing to wait out legal and health problems.
“Well, I think the biggest thing is Reuben was claimed here and after he went through the process, certain things came out and he had his moment to be able to settle himself in and show that he was exonerated for the most part,” Rivera said. “Again, it’s always a difficult decision when you come to these things.”
Washington needn’t decide Latimer’s fate yet after signing him on March 25 as a free agent. Latimer is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 20 and the NFL will decide further sanctions if necessary. Washington is actually the innocent bystander in this situation. The NFL is letting due process decide the next move.
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Every situation is different. But every situation is influenced by a player’s value. For Washington, Guice wasn’t worth retaining. No other NFL team claimed him on waivers afterwards. Sometimes, players are accountable for their wrong doing.
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Rick Snider is an award-winning sports writer who has covered Washington sports since 1978. He first wrote about the Washington football team in 1983 before becoming a beat writer in 1993. Snider currently writes for several national and international publications and is a Washington tour guide. Follow Rick on Twitter at @Snide_Remarks.
