TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Cardinals on Monday released rookie tight end D.C. Jefferson, who had been arrested Friday night in Scottsdale and charged with DUI, according to a police report.
The rookie sideswiped another vehicle in his black Chevrolet Silverado but didn't stop, according to the report. After being followed, Jefferson pulled into a parking lot where police located and questioned the 6-foot-6, 255-pounder from Rutgers.
Jefferson's blood alcohol content was .156, almost twice the legal limit. He was arrested and then released from custody later Friday evening.
The reporting officer wrote that Jefferson was "very cooperative, polite and respectful."
Jefferson, whose given name is Lequan, veered into another lane and his tires, which stick out from the pickup truck, swiped a car. According to the report, Jefferson didn't know he hit another vehicle.
Coach Bruce Arians said Monday that Jefferson's release had nothing to do with his arrest.
Jefferson, who selected by the Cardinals in the seventh-round of the 2013 draft, was active in four of Arizona's eight games but didn't catch a pass this season. He was best known for getting a tattoo of the Cardinals' bird head before making the roster.
Arizona signed tight end Jake Ballard to fill Jefferson's place. The team put Ballard through a tryout during the week of Oct. 14 but didn't think he could last the whole season. Ballard tore his ACL in Super Bowl XLVI with the New York Giants. He missed all of last season as a member of the New England Patriots, who cut him after training camp this year.
In 15 games with the Giants -- one in 2010 and 14 in 2011 -- Ballard had 604 yards and two touchdowns on 38 receptions.
