A day after he was cut by the Ravens following his DUI arrest, running back Bernard Pierce has been claimed off waivers by the Jaguars, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
After facing criticism for mishandling the Ray Rice situation last year, the Ravens have been making a concerted effort to move on from players who run into legal trouble off the field. Terrence Cody, Victor Hampton, and Pierce have all been cut shortly after being arrested this year.
As such, it’s slightly surprising that any team would claim Pierce, particularly with his legal case still unresolved. Driving under the influence hasn’t been the sort of hot-button issue that domestic violence has been for the league within the last 12 months, but it’s still not a great look for a team to pounce on a player who faces a DUI charge.
Last season, Pierce appeared in 13 regular season games for the Ravens, rushing for a career-low 366 yards off of 93 attempts with two touchdowns. Even with Baltimore’s backfield situation in flux, Pierce was unable to become a major part of the rushing attack, slipping down the depth chart after Justin Forsett emerged as the team’s No. 1 back.
Pierce, who turns 25 in May, could face a suspension from the NFL, depending on the outcome of his pending legal case. He has one more year remaining on his rookie contract.