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ESPN.com - NFL - Seahawks' Stevens charged with DUI, possession


Unrestricted free agent tight end Jerramy Stevens, the former first-round draft choice whose five-year tenure with the Seattle Seahawks was marked by bad hands and poor off-field decisions, was arrested early Tuesday morning in Scottsdale, Ariz., and charged with driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.

Jerramy Stevens
Stevens

The incident, which occurred around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, isn't the first time that Stevens, 27, has run afoul of the law.

In June 2003, he pleaded guilty to reckless driving in a plea deal after being stopped in the Seattle suburb of Medina on investigation of drunken driving. He got a two-day jail sentence for that offense.

He received another five days in jail for violating his probation after he drove into a nursing home in 2000 in a hit-and-run case. Stevens was a student at Washington at the time of that incident.

Stevens has spent his entire career with the Seahawks, who have had discussions during the free-agency period about re-signing him. It is not known how the Tuesday incident might affect any negotiations or if Stevens will come under league review.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have also indicated an interest in Stevens, and several other teams have inquired about him as well.

On Tuesday, the Seahawks addressed their tight end situation by signing 12-year veteran Marcus Pollard, an unrestricted free agent, to a one-year contract.

Stevens was taken into custody Tuesday after being stopped by police officers near downtown Scottsdale and telling them he had "four or five margaritas" at a local bar. According to the police report, Stevens was driving erratically and, when stopped, police noticed his eyes were "bloodshot, watery and half-closed."

The tight end refused a portable Breathalyzer test, but officers subsequently obtained a search warrant and drew two vials of blood for testing. Police did not reveal the blood alcohol content. Stevens was cited for possession of marijuana when officers found it in his back pocket.

Stevens was released after posting bail.

A first-round pick in the 2002 draft, the former University of Washington standout has been an enigma for much of his career, a player blessed with enormous physical skills, but who has rarely played to his potential. In 71 appearances, including 26 starts, he has 130 catches for 1,458 yards and 15 touchdowns.

He was a starter for the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL after the 2005 season, but was ridiculed for dropping three passes in that game.

Pollard, 35, played 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts (1995-2004) before signing with Detroit as a free agent in 2005 and spending two years with the Lions. He has 321 receptions for 4,007 yards and 38 touchdowns in 177 games.

A former basketball player at Bradley University and signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent, Pollard has six seasons of 30-plus catches.

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