Cornerback Aaron Berry apparently picked the wrong time of year to get arrested for a second time.
With the Detroit Lions under increasing scrutiny for their offseason of trouble, DetroitLions.com reported Monday that the team had released Berry just two days after his arrest on three charges of simple assault. The third-year pro also was arrested earlier in the offseason on suspicion of DUI.
Berry was released because of "personal conduct which adversely affects the club" according to the team.
"We have repeatedly stressed to everyone in our organization that there will be appropriate consequences when an expected standard of behavior is not upheld," Lions president Tom Lewand said in a statement.
Berry, who lined up as a starter in offseason workouts, has no one to blame but himself for getting in repeated trouble with the law. The spotlight was on the Lions after they incurred five arrests before minicamp and OTA season was through. Coach Jim Schwartz warned his team there would be repercussions if trouble continued, and Berry did not heed the message.
We can't help but think the timing of Berry's arrest and his draft status worked against him here. Running back Mikel Leshoure was arrested twice early this offseason, but he remains on the team. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley also has been arrested twice, but he's a first-round draft pick with big potential.
Berry was an undrafted player who was still trying to prove himself in the NFL, and he got in repeated trouble at the worst time imaginable. We'd expect Berry to get another chance elsewhere once his legal troubles play out, but for now, his transgressions have cost him a job.
