Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith

JACKSONVILLE http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/trayvon-mullen-jersey , Fla. (AP) —the team’s leading tackler the past two seasons and a Pro Bowl selection in 2017, is stepping away from football to “give this time back to myself, my family & my health.”Smith made the announcement Thursday on Instagram, saying “at this time I must take time away from this game & get my world in order.”“I appreciate all the support I will & will not get,” he added. “I just ask that y’all respect my decision to not play football this season.”A fifth-round draft pick from Florida State in 2014, Smith has 586 total tackles with 445 solo tackles, nine interceptions http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/isaiah-johnson-jersey , 7½ sacks and five forced fumbles in five seasons. He’s one of only 13 players in NFL history to make 100 or more tackles in each of their first five years in the league.He signed a four-year, $45 million extension with Jacksonville in October 2017 that included $20 million guaranteed.Smith had been skipping voluntary workouts and hadn’t returned calls from team officials, raising speculation that he could be on the trading block or on his way out in Jacksonville.Personnel chief Tom Coughlin also took a not-so-subtle shot at Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey during the team’s state of the franchise presentation last month. Coughlin, the team’s executive vice president of football operations, said “championship teams are dominated by selfless individuals who recognize that the welfare of the team must always be paramount to any other consideration.”Ramsey and Smith were the team’s only players who didn’t show up for the start of the team’s offseason program.The Jaguars surely seemed to sense something was amiss regarding Smith. They signed former Green Bay starter Jake Ryan in free agency, drafted Murray State’s Quincy Williams in the third round — earlier than anticipated — and added five more linebackers in recent weeks.“I know the rumors of trade talk came about, but I started my career in Jacksonville & the day I do decide to call it quits it will be right here in Duval,” Smith wrote.The Jaguars declined to comment on Smith’s statement http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/hunter-renfrow-jersey , saying “we need to have a conversation with Telvin to understand the situation and the circumstances.”“If there is a way we can support him, we need to understand that,” the team added. NEW YORK (AP) — Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Bates was arraigned Tuesday from a psychiatric ward on charges accusing him of punching a New York City police officer after he was taken to a precinct house for failing to pay a taxi fare.Bates, 25, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, resisting arrest, theft of services and obstruction of governmental administration.Bates has been hospitalized since his Jan. 26 arrest and was arraigned via a video hookup.Bates’ lawyer, Eric Breslin http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/marquise-blair-jersey , said they were looking forward to “resolving this manner in an expeditious and satisfactory fashion.”Bates was arrested around 1:30 a.m. Jan. 26 at a hotel near LaGuardia Airport after allegedly refusing to pay a $32 cab fare for a ride from Manhattan.Police have said they were ready to let Bates go with an appearance ticket if he didn’t have any outstanding warrants, but that Bates refused to be fingerprinted and punched a sergeant in the face.Sgt. James O’Brien, who was hit as he tried to calm Bates down, suffered a concussion and needed three stitches over his left eye, police said.The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Bates was subdued with a stun gun and taken to a hospital.Bates’ agent said last week that his alleged actions “are in no way a reflection of who he is as a person” and “not at all consistent with the man and friend we know him to be.”“At this time our priority is to ensure that Trevor receives the help he needs and that the privacy of the parties involved be respected,” agent Jeff Jankovich said in a Jan. 28 statement.Bates, who’s from Westbrook http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/cody-barton-jersey , Maine, and played college football at the University of Maine, joined the Lions last year and appeared in nine games.He was drafted in 2016 by the Indianapolis Colts and was on the practice squads of the New England Patriots and New York Giants.Lions general manager Bob Quinn has said that the team is aware of Bates’ arrest but had no further comment.Judge Karina Alomar set Bates’ bail at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond. His next hearing is scheduled for March 8.Bates faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.