Cowboys cut former first-round pick following marijuana arrest

The Dallas Cowboys are moving on from Rashaan Evans in the wake of the linebacker’s arrest.

Evans was waived by the Cowboys on Wednesday to make room on the 53-man roster for offensive lineman Matt Waletzko, who was activated from injured reserve. Evans was also arrested on Tuesday, which may have played a role in the decision.

Police in Frisco, Texas, confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that Evans was arrested on Tuesday and charged with possession of marijuana.

Evans, 28, was signed by the Cowboys in October following a rash of injuries on defense. He appeared in nine games and recorded nine total tackles. Evans only played a handful of special teams snaps in last week’s loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Evans was drafted in the first round by the Tennessee Titans in 2018. The former Alabama star spent four seasons in Tennessee before signing a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons last year. Evans started all 17 games in 2022 and had a solid statistical season with 159 combined tackles, four passes defended, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.