Bengals waive RB Walton following 3rd arrest

The Cincinnati Bengals waived Mark Walton on Saturday after the running back was arrested for the third time this offseason earlier in the week.

“It’s important for our team to get off to a fresh start as we begin the 2019 season,” coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. “For that reason, we felt it best if we move forward without Mark Walton. We hope his situation gets resolved, but we don’t want to take anything away from the good work that so many other players have already begun to demonstrate.”

• Bengals running back Mark Walton was subdued with a stun gun by police and arrested for a third time this year following an incident in March. He faces four charges, including a felony of carrying a concealed weapon.

Walton surrendered to police on Thursday and is facing a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon along with three misdemeanor charges: resisting an officer without violence, marijuana possession and reckless driving.

These charges stem from a March 12 incident in Miami. The Miami Herald reported that police officers attempted to pull Walton’s car over because they said it was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic. Walton pulled the car over in front of a house, and officers ordered him to the ground as he was exiting the car. Walton began to run and was subdued with a stun gun, but he dislodged the prongs and escaped, according to the report.

Officers reportedly searched the car and found 14 grams of marijuana and a legally purchased 9 millimeter carbine rifle with ammunition.

Walton was charged with battery on Feb. 16 and misdemeanor possession of marijuana on Jan. 16.

Walton, 22, was selected by the Bengals out of Miami in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He played mostly on special teams and carried the ball only 14 times last season, rushing for 34 yards, an average of 2.4 yards per carry.