Mike Pouncey was reportedly shocked when his name was dragged into the texting scandal of Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin. According to the Ted Wells report, the Miami Dolphins lineman was involved in the harassment case along with John Jerry. As NFL commissioner begins to look into the entire report regarding the bullying incident, many are wondering what the fate is with the players involved.
It could be very easy for the Miami Dolphins to totally wash their hands clean of this entire issue and simply release Incognito. The harassment details in the report clearly show something has happened and the Dolphins are likely preparing to move on completely. However, Pouncey's fate is not as clear. The Ted Wells report notes that Pouncey was involved in harassing a trainer with racially insensitive activity, but he was not the ringleader and remained a solid person the Dolphins' locker room. As one of the top players on the team, what does Miami do?
According to the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have no plans on trading Pouncey and are prepared for the center to be a part of the team in the coming future. While he has created some headaches in the recent past, the Dolphins are remaining committed to Pouncey considering his performance on the field. With the offensive line already in shambles, the team is not ready to part ways with the center.
However, the Miami Herald does believe Pouncey will receive a suspension from the league for his involvement in the case. The Dolphins are ready for Pouncey to not be with the team at the start of the season and are expecting a multi-game suspension to be handed down. That leaves the Miami offensive line completely dismantled for 2014.
Incognito is not expected to return along with Martin. Jerry will likely be released. Poiuncey will be suspended. Bryant McKinnie is an unrestricted free agent. Tyson Clabo underperformed at his position on the line. Pouncey still has one more year remaining on his rookie contract and the Dolphins could opt to extend him a fifth year, but the team will likely look towards the free agent market or the NFL Draft for help at the position after the NFL hands down their rulings to all players involved.
