THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts starting defensive tackle Ed Johnson was arrested early Wednesday on a drug possession charge.
Colts president Bill Polian said the team was still gathering facts about the case before determining how it will discipline Johnson, but Johnson will not play Sunday at Minnesota.
"He will not play this week, for sure," coach Tony Dungy said.
Polian said Johnson was stopped for speeding between midnight and 1 a.m. on Interstate 465 just north of Indianapolis. Police also charged him with marijuana possession.
He later was released on bond from the Hamilton County Jail.
Johnson was temporarily expelled from Penn State in 2005 for violating the school policy on sexual misconduct and confining another student against the student's will. He was reinstated in 2006, but later suspended for the Outback Bowl for violating team rules.
Once considered a first-day draft prospect, the big defensive tackle went undrafted in 2007 draft.
"We had a talk with him and I thought he was going in the right direction," Dungy said last summer when Johnson was trying to make the team. "He has to understand the environment he's coming into and what we expect from him."
The six-foot-two, 296-pound Johnson was the biggest surprise in training camp last year. He took advantage of an injury-depleted defensive line to start all 16 games, finishing with 63 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble.
The Colts (0-1) had even bigger expectations for Johnson this year, but Wednesday's arrest has the Colts reassessing those plans.
Johnson was not in the locker room Wednesday to answer questions.
The arrest couldn't have come at a worse time for the Colts. They allowed Chicago to run for 153 yards and average 4.7 yards per carry in a season-opening 29-13 loss and now face back-to-back games against two of the NFL's best running tandems: Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, and Jacksonville's Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew.
One option for Dungy is moving 274-pound defensive end Raheem Brock inside, where he was the starter last season. Second-year player Keyunta Dawson is the other starter. They also could use their most experienced tackle, Darrell Reid, in the lineup.
The only other tackles on the active roster are Eric Foster, an undrafted rookie, and Daniel Muir, who was claimed off waivers last week from Green Bay.
It's the third legal incident involving a Colts player since April. Police charged running back Kenton Keith with criminal trespassing after refusing to leave the parking lot of a nightclub. He has since been cut.
Perennial Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison was interviewed by police about a shooting near his North Philadelphia car wash in the spring. He wasn't charged.
-
News
-
Johnson arrested on drug charge
September 10, 2008
-
Recent Headlines
- Palmer, Bush lead Raiders past chargers
- Brady vs. Lang: Who is the man in the NFL?
- Bills offence hits a sudden speed bump
- Lang on NFL: Early returns
- Cowboys kicker Buehler done for season
- McFadden out Thursday vs. SD, Bush in
- Players propose plan for HGH testing
- Bucs give Haynesworth another chance
- Vick struggling, missing magic from 2010
- Steelers' Clark angry after $40K fine for hit
- Jets' Burress, McKnight miss practice
- NFL Power Rankings: Leaders of the Pack
- Lang on NFL: Eli, Eli, woah!
- Browns' Ward has cast, WR Massaquoi out
- Redskins sign OL Polumbus
- Seahawks activate Butler from PUP list
- Bills fill kicking void with Rayner
- Bears, centre Garza agree to extension
-
My Headlines
Stories from your favourite teamsedit [?]
- Puck Money: Value in forking out at NHL arenas
- Burke: Kings not a typical 8th-place team
-
Nonis: Leafs plan to acquire veteran goalie
- Habs officially name Dudley assistant GM
- Leafs sign Granberg to entry level deal
-
Marlies blank Barons to close in on AHL final
- Frattin scores twice; Marlies take Game 3
- Dudley's deal with Habs nearly finalized
- Scrivens gets shutout as Marlies blank Barons
- Marlies, Barons prepare for goalie battle
