Bengals DE Darius Hodge arrested for alleged assault

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According to reports, Bengals rookie DE Darius Hodge has been arrested in Wake Forest for an alleged assault. The arrest stems from an incident that occurred in 2019, where he is accused of repeatedly hitting a man.

Hodge went to college at Marshall University, where he collected 15.5 sacks and 117 total tackles, including 20.5 for a loss.

He was signed by the Bengals as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of the 2021 NFL Draft. In a year in which the Bengals added a lot of depth along the edge, including guys like Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, and Wyatt Hubert, the odds were always stacked against Hodge to make the roster. With these legal issues now coming to light, his status with the team only seems murkier.

It remains to be seen if the Bengals will release Hodge due to his arrest. However, should they decide to retain him, he will not be subject to suspension for this particular incident, since it occurred before he arrived in the NFL.