Reserve Los Angeles Rams defensive end Ethan Westbrooks will practice as usual this week, despite his arrest on suspicion of gun and theft charges, coach Sean McVay said.
“Until we get everything finalized in terms of exactly what the ruling is, what exactly went down, I trust Ethan,” McVay said following Wednesday’s practice at California Lutheran University as the team began preparations for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
“When he talks to me and he looks me in the eye and tells me what happened, I trust him. That’s the way that we’re operating and until otherwise, he’s going through the week of practice … with the expectation to play. That’s something that is pending based on if anything changes along the way.
But as of right now, supporting Ethan, trust Ethan and what we’ve heard from him you feel like this will get settled … but really until more information comes out with respect to the process, we kind of (want) to just keep it at that.”
McVay said “the more that you gather information about it, you’re disappointed for him that you get caught up in a situation like that.”
Westbrooks was arrested Friday after being pulled over for speeding on Interstate 5 near Bakersfield, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reported that a gun reported stolen in 2009 was found in the 26-year-old’s vehicle.
The firearm was loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, according to The Times.
Westbrooks was booked on suspicion of receiving stolen property, carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a stolen loaded firearm, grand theft of a firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine, Adam Taylor, public information officer for the California Highway Patrol’s Buttonwillow division, told The Times.
Westbrook was released after posting $55,000 bond and is due in court on Oct. 25, according to The Times.
Westbrooks was arrested in Sacramento in March on felony domestic violence charges, police said. The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office did not file charges, The Times reported.
Westbrooks has made five tackles in the Rams three games this season.
Westbrooks started the Sept. 10 season opener, playing on 32 of 50 defensive plays. He played 23 of 71 defensive plays in a 27-20 loss to the Washington Redskins Sept. 17 and 11 of 79 in a 41-39 victory over the San Francisco 49ers Thursday
Westbrooks, who is listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 283 pounds, is in his fourth season in the NFL, all for the Rams, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014 out of West Texas A&M.
—City News Service