When the decision was made to cut fullback Reagan Maui'a to get the team down to the 53-man roster last Friday, most believed it was a simple numbers game. It may have been just that, considering it was unlikely that the Arizona Cardinals were going to keep more than one fullback on the roster. They already had Anthony Sherman whom they drafted in the fifth round of this year's NFL Draft.
Both Sherman and Maui'a had great camps. There were even a few of us in the community who believed that the Cardinals should have kept two fullbacks three running backs on the roster. But in the end, Sherman got the job and Maui'a was let go and it may have been affected by something other than numbers.
It was reported that Maui'a will be suspended for the first three games of the 2011 season if/when he is signed to another team.
Back a few years ago, he was arrested on a battery charge in 2008. This disciplinary action is not for that. According to a tweet from Kent Somers, this suspension that Maui'a will have to serve is related to the league's substance abuse policy.
You have to wonder if the Cards may have known this.
Now Sherman did beat out Maui'a in camp overall and most did not believe that the team would keep two fullbacks on the roster. However, considering the running back situation, they may have decided to hold on to him and Sherman while they looked for another running back.
Obviously the team would not have wanted to carry a player that was going to miss the first month of the season, so this might very well have played into the decision.
In the end, this is one of those posts that do not uplift. It is unfortunate that Maui'a was involved in PEDs. In any case, we wish him well as a community and hope that he lands somewhere soon.