If there’s anyone in the NFL isn’t a right, it’s a privilege no matter how talented you are, it’s Taylor Mays. After the San Francisco 49ers picked him in the second round of the 2010, he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011. Mays then played his rookie deal out there, signed a 1-year deal to remain with the Bengals in 2014.
Mays then left for the Detroit Lions in the 2015 offseason and that’s where all the madness started. He was cut in the summer of 2015 offseason then went to the Detroit Lions, where he was cut in training camp. Then he went to the Raiders where he was cut on the final round of roster cuts, right before the season.
But when the Raiders had injuries to starting free safeties Charles Woodson and Nate Allen, they re-signed him. And this time, they tried him at strong safety, where he should have been his whole career. And the results were excellent as he was great in coverage on tight ends, where he was a liability in coverage before.
He made himself stick with that role, improving the defense in the five games he started down the stretch. You’d think that a player that’s gone through all that would truly appreciate where he is because it didn’t come easy. After being cut three times in nine months, Mays had finally carved out a role on the team.
But as a free agent this offseason, waiting to probably be re-signed by the Raiders Mays has hurt himself. He was suspended the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the NFL’s policy on substances of abuse Monday. Mays finally carves out a role on a team, put some good tape out there and gets himself suspended.
Now, you have to wonder of anyone will sign him in 2016.