With Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer on indefinite paid leave, Kromer can accelerate his return to full status only after his criminal case ends. Which makes it critical for Kromer to resolve his criminal case quickly.
The first opportunity to resolve the case comes on August 12, when Kromer is due to be in court and is expected to enter a plea. If he works out a plea deal with prosecutors by then, the case could end that day.
That wouldn’t end Kromer’s indefinite paid leave, however. He’d remain on paid leave until the NFL decides on a punishment under the Personal Conduct Policy, which could result in unpaid leave.
Ideally for Kromer, he’ll know what his ultimate punishment will be if/when he enters a plea. But the NFL doesn’t like to do that. As a result, Kromer will have to take a leap of faith that, if he accepts responsibility for the pending charge or some reduced charge, he’ll be back to work sooner than later.
Meanwhile, the son of Aaron Kromer officially faces misdemeanor battery charges arising from the same beach-chair brouhaha. Via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, 21-year-old Zachery Kromer entered a written plea of not guilty, and he’s due in court for a pretrial hearing on September 2.
The Bills have yet to announce any plans for replacing Aaron Kromer once camp opens. They’d be wise to have a plan in place for training camp and the entire season as soon as possible.