NFL Rumors 2016: Will Hill Gets Suspended 10 Games for Substance Abuse, then Gets Cut by Ravens
After announcing the addition of Eric Weddle to the team, the Baltimore Ravens followed it up by revealing that they have released Will Hill, but it isn't about clearing cap space or performance issues. Just before being cut, rumors started to surface about him facing a 10-game suspension in violation of the league's substance abuse policy.
According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the impending suspension is the reason why he was cut by the team, citing an unnamed source.
But the suspension and the eventual parting of ways with the Ravens have been a long time coming since the 27-year old football safety has been embroiled in the same issue before. As a matter of fact, NFL.com revealed it is his fourth time to have violated the strict NFL rule on the use of illegal and controlled substances. That should be a lot for someone who joined the league in 2012. With him out of the lineup, Lardarius Webb is expected to step up and play alongside the newly-acquired Weddle.
It could have been a very different story for the Ravens and Hill, only if he managed to fix his issues; obviously he didn't. He was given a decent two-year contract for $7 million by the team several months ago – a testament of trust from management.
Before joining the Ravens back in 2014, he had the same issue with the New York Giants, which also cut him loose after testing positive for a banned substance, in which he was suspended six games by the league.
Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan of ESPN first reported about the suspension, and everyone who knows Hill saw this one from afar. The first time he got the suspension for the same offense was back in his rookie year, and then he again had to sit out four games in 2013. This latest setback though may mean more than just suspension for him. It is difficult to imagine that any team will take the risk of signing him.