New England Patriots rumors have been confirmed as receiver Michael Floyd will be active against the New York Jets on Saturday (Dec. 24). A report by ESPN early in the day has stated that he will indeed be ready to play if called upon. This is news that has already been met with a mixed reaction on social media, due to Floyd’s recent arrest in Arizona.
Floyd was arrested and charged with a “super extreme DUI” due to his blood alcohol content. It came in at 0.217, which is more than double the legal limit in the state of Arizona. Due to the severity of the arrest and the additional charges pending against him, Floyd could face up to 45 days in jail.
The six criminal charges that Michael Floyd faces are obstructing a roadway; DUI impaired to the slightest degree; DUI blood alcohol content above 0.08, 0.15, and 0.20; and failure to obey a police officer. His first court appearance will take place on February 24, putting off judgment for what he had done until the NFL offseason.
Almost immediately, the Arizona Cardinals released Michael Floyd, distancing the franchise from the 27-year-old receiver as quickly as it could. Floyd would later state that he has learned from his “mistake” and a new team came calling. A previous report by ESPN addressed New England Patriots rumors about the team claiming Floyd off waivers and with it his $1.2 million contract. That salary is just for the final three games of the 2016 NFL regular season.
Now Floyd is officially available to play against the New York Jets on December 24. This gives Patriots head coach Bill Belichick another weapon to work with on offense. It also provides the team with more depth as the Patriots try to secure the top seed in the AFC. As previously reported by the Inquisitr , the updated NFL playoff standings have the team at 12-2 on the season and one game ahead of the Oakland Raiders for that No. 1 seed.
Playing in the first 13 games of the 2016 NFL season, Michael Floyd caught 33 passes for 446 yards and four touchdowns. Floyd had been targeted 71 times by Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks, but he hadn’t found the consistency he had with the team over the previous four seasons. At just 27, though, Floyd likely has a lot of football left in front of him.
Floyd is a free agent at the end of the current NFL season, giving him every incentive to play well over the final two games with the New England Patriots. Floyd is also eligible to play in the postseason, allowing him to earn a playoff share as a member of the Patriots. What he does in the postseason will certainly affect how much he is offered in free agency.
A report by FOX Sports relayed a statement that Michael Floyd made to the press following his DUI arrest. Floyd had maintained a lot of silence due to the bad press he was receiving, but finally decided to break that silence when he was picked up by the Patriots.
“I just want to start off by saying I understand what happened last week was last week. I’m excited for my opportunity here and being a Patriot with a great group of guys, great group of coaches and an organization that just treats people well. I think in life everyone makes mistakes. I think by now it’s about learning from mistakes. I think I couldn’t be in a better position right now with this team. The guys that they have around here, just keeping me focused and working hard.”
There had been a number of New England Patriots rumors about what the team planned to do with its new receiver, but it has now been confirmed that Michael Floyd is ready to play in Week 16 against the New York Jets.
[Featured Image by Norm Hall/Getty Images]
