Tag: Mark Walton

Former Dolphins RB Mark Walton arrested on restraining order violation

Former Dolphins RB Mark Walton arrested on restraining order violation

The Miami Dolphins took a chance on running back Mark Walton last year, hoping that a new year in a new city would help provide Walton with the structure that he needed to start making some better decisions — he’d seen three run-ins with law enforcement over the course of his final few months with the Cincinnati Bengals.

And for a while, it worked. But Walton was ultimately suspended for his off-field conduct from last winter and, during his 4-game suspension, was involved in a domestic violence incident — which prompted the Dolphins to cut him nearly immediately.

Fast forward to this week, and Walton is once again in trouble with the law, the latest in a troubling string of decisions for Walton. He’s now been arrested for violating the restraining order placed against him.

Football is going to be an afterthought for Walton from here, as it should be. The only thing that matters from here is whether or not Walton can correct his life before his poor decisions catch up to him. Here’s hoping Walton gets the support and structure he needs in his life to turn himself around — for the good of himself, his family and his young child.

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Dolphins’ need at running back more apparent than ever

The Miami Dolphins’ running game is one of the more futile in all of football. The team will need to address the position this offseason.

If we are all being honest, the Miami Dolphins already had a need at the running back position before the team cut ties with Mark Walton on Tuesday. But with Walton’s dismissal from the team, the Dolphins’ running back room is looking especially barren with just Kalen Ballage, Myles Gaskin and Patrick Laird left as primary ball carriers. Miami would be wise to work in extra carries for Gaskin and Laird over the course of the next six games, after all 2019 is an evaluation year as much as it is anything else for these 2-8 Dolphins.

But no matter what Gaskin and Laird show, Miami is in need of a more dynamic feature ball carrier. Ballage is big, fast and explosive but hasn’t shown effectiveness in an increased role. Ideally the offensive line would provide him with more clear paths as well, but we’ve seen former Dolphins runners such as Walton and Drake find more room to work than Ballage, mainly because Kalen is at his best in straight line situations.

The good news for Miami is that good running backs aren’t too difficult to find, given the surplus of talent in the backfield as ball carriers. The question then becomes one of value. Would it make sense for the Dolphins to invest one of their three 1st-round picks in a rookie back like Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor or Clemson’s Travis Etienne? Probably not. For some teams, a 1st-round running back can be the final piece of the puzzle, but the Dolphins have hardly gotten the frame of their puzzle set on offense.

The mid-rounds is a much more attractive place for a team with as many needs as Miami to address the running back position. There, potential names like Florida State’s Cam Akers, Utah’s Zack Moss, Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins and others can provide Miami with more diverse runners than Ballage’s straight line approach.

Anyone hoping to see the Dolphins put off addressing a “low value” position like running back should probably begin to adjust their mindset, because the Dolphins’ running game is quite poor and the personnel is a large part of the problem. Those issues were further exacerbated by the correct decision to part ways with Walton and are now more difficult to ignore than ever.

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Details emerge on former Dolphins RB Mark Walton’s transgressions

Former Miami Dolphins running back Mark Walton was cut yesterday after he was arrested for a domestic violence issue.

When the news broke yesterday morning that the Miami Dolphins were cutting running back Mark Walton for a “police issue”, eyebrows were raised. Given Walton’s checkered past and three prior arrests in the spring of 2019, the Miami Dolphins would have been justified to cut ties with Walton for almost any legal missteps — given they were the team to roll the dice and take a chance on him despite his outstanding legal issues in the spring.

But as more details trickle in regarding the alleged incident Walton was involved in during the early hours of Tuesday morning, the more the Dolphins should be applauded for acting swiftly and decisively — no matter who Walton may have been to the team.

Walton, who was midway through serving a 4-game suspension from the NFL based on his conduct off the field this past offseason, allegedly pushed a woman pregnant with Walton’s child into a wall before punching her several times in the face and head. When the police arrived at the residence, the police report indicates the woman showed swelling on her left eye and Walton was booked shortly afterwards for aggravated battery against a pregnant person — which qualifies as a 2nd-degree felony.

No NFL roster is going to be made up of all boy scouts, but this type of behavior should be given zero tolerance anywhere, let alone in professional sports. And while the Dolphins were within their rights to initially roll the dice on Walton this spring, it unfortunately should not be too big of a shock to see that investment go unrewarded and betrayed. Given Walton’s string of decision making, the odds are quite strong that he’s burned his bridges in the NFL and will not have the privilege of playing professional football ever again.

Nor should he.

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Miami Dolphins release Mark Walton after being arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery (Dolphins

Miami Dolphins released Mark Walton on Tuesday after being arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery of a pregnant person.

Miami Dolphins released Mark Walton on Tuesday after being arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery of a pregnant person.

Dolphins cut running back Mark Walton after ‘police matter’

The Miami Dolphins have released RB Mark Walton after an “police matter” during his 4-game suspension.

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The Miami Dolphins have released a statement announcing that they released running back Mark Walton this morning. The news comes approximately halfway through Walton’s four-game suspension, which was handed down by the NFL in response to Walton’s off-field transgressions this past offseason while a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.

The news comes as a stunning turn of events after the Dolphins coaching staff spoke highly of Walton, even after the news of his suspension broke just a few weeks ago.

Not many details are known at this time other than Walton was involved with a police matter that came to the team’s attention this morning. It was all the news Miami needed to feel as though Walton has lost the benefit of the doubt the team gave him by offering him a second chance this spring, even with outstanding legal issues.

More information is needed, but it is difficult to feel too sorry for someone who has squandered first and second chances within a span of eight months. Hopefully Walton is able to get whatever kind of support he needs to work out his issues — but that support will not come from the Dolphins organization. At least not after whatever went down recently.

Stay tuned for more details on this developing story.

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9 things to know about the Bills’ Week 11 opponent, the Dolphins

The Bills and Dolphins will complete their 2019 pair of games on Sunday in Week 11 from South Florida. These aren’t your father’s Dolphins, and they’re not your Dolphins from like a few weeks ago when Buffalo topped Miami in 31-21. Things have …

The Bills and Dolphins will complete their 2019 pair of games on Sunday in Week 11 from South Florida.

These aren’t your father’s Dolphins, and they’re not your Dolphins from like a few weeks ago when Buffalo topped Miami in 31-21. Things have changed in three short games since then.

With that, here are nine things to know about the Bills’ Week 1 opponent, the Dolphins:

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores meet following the game at New Era Field. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Red hot Dolphins

The Bills were huge 15.5 opening favorites against the Dolphins in their first meeting. Buffalo took a 31-21 win and didn’t cover that. Actually it was nearly just a three-point win had it not been for a goofy onside kick score from Micah Hyde late.

But since then, it’s been smooth sailing for the Dolphins. After topping the New York Jets for their first win of the season, 26-18, Miami beat the Colts last week 16-12.

Yes, the tanking Dolphins are on a winning streak. Buffalo is still the favorite, but hey, if they’re hot, they’re hot. Along with their winning streak, the Dolphins have led in four-straight games as well, dating back to that loss in Buffalo.

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