Safety T.J. McDonald is set to become a free agent this offseason and the team that signs him for the 2017 season will likely have to make plans that don’t include him for part of the 2017 season.
McDonald was arrested last May after crashing into a parked car and initially charged with driving under the influence of drugs. Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times reports that McDonald resolved the case this week by pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of reckless driving involving drugs or alcohol.
McDonald will serve three years of probation, pay a fine, complete a three-month alcohol program, attend 18 Narcotics Anonymous classes and perform 200 hours of community service. He was further sentenced to spend a month in a live-in residential drug program and make restitution to the owner of the car he crashed into. He will likely face discipline in the form of a two-game suspension from the league as well.
McDonald had 64 tackles and two interceptions while starting all 16 games for the Rams in 2016. He said he’d like to re-sign with the team, although any plans on that front will likely be on hold until the team figures out who will be their head coach.