Free agent safety Matt Elam has been suspended six games for violating an NFL policy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
While there’s no word as to exactly how Elam earned his ban, the former Ravens defensive back has been linked to plenty of legal hot water this year. Elam, 26, was arrested on drug charges in February before being detained for grand theft and battery in May. Both sets of charges have since been dropped, but as we’ve seen in the past, the absence of formal, legal ramifications won’t prevent the NFL from handing down a suspension.
Elam can serve the six-game ban as a free agent, and it’s unlikely that any club will show interest in the four-year pro while he’s on suspension (or potentially after the ban has concluded). A former first-round pick, Elam missed the entirety of the 2015 campaign with injury and was demoted when he returned to the active roster the following season. After missing the first half of 2016 with an knee issue, Elam appeared in nine games for Baltimore but never started a contest.
Because the Ravens declined Elam’s 2017 fifth-year option, he became an unrestricted free agent this spring. But with multiple arrests hanging over his head, Elam hasn’t generated any known interest on the open market.