The NFL has punished New Orleans Saints tight end Treyton Welch for an infraction committed during a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 of the preseason.
LA won the contest 34-0, with Welch catching two passes for 11 yards for New Orleans. He also avoided having one of the 19 penalties in the game, 12 of which were committed by the Saints, called against him.
However, the NFL’s review process sees all.
Saints’ Treyton Welch Fined for Overlooked Penalty vs Rams
During the third quarter of the Rams’ win over the Saints, Welch caught a pass from quarterback Spencer Rattler. LA’s Nate Valcarcel moved in to make the stop. However, as the Rams safety went to wrap up, Welch delivered a stiff arm.
Unfortunately for Welch, he also grabbed Valcarcel’s facemask.
The NFL fined Welch $5,583 for a “facemask” for the play, despite no flag being thrown during the contest. It would have cost the Saints 15 yards. Instead, it just hits Welch’s pockets.
Welch, who is on a three-year, $2.9 million contract, is actually fortunate, since the league could have fined him more. Fines for facemask penalties can cost a player up to $11,941 for first offenses and as much as $17,911 for second offenses.
Of course, as this fine coming down underscores, all fines are at the league’s discretion.
This is also a prime example of why no player is truly in the clear of drawing the league’s ire until well after the final whistle.
NFL Passes on Further Penalty for Play Involving Rams’ Elias Neal
While Welch got docked for a play that was not flagged during the Rams game, Saints teammate and guard Jeremiah Wright avoided receiving any further punishment. He committed an unnecessary roughness penalty, costing New Orleans 15 yards.
Wright came in and delivered a blow to Rams linebacker Elias Neal at the 10:44 mark during the first quarter.
Infractions like what Wright did can fall under “late hits.”
Those draw fines up to $11,941 the first time and $17,911 the second time. That is just like the facemask fine Welch received. The NFL fined Seattle Seahawks linebacker (and former Rams starter) Ernest Jones $11,593 for doing something similar against LA last season.
This is yet another example of how much leeway the league provides itself when it comes to which plays deserve fines and which don’t.
Rams Avoid Bad News (For Now)
The Rams were the cleaner team against Welch and the Saints. They had seven penalties, none of which fell under the fineable offense category or drew additional enforcement. They also avoided the surprise fine, as Welch received.
Rams head coach Sean McVay must wait to see if his squad finished the preseason clean.
Rookie Darryl Peterson III is the only Rams that has been fined so far. He got a $4,935 deduction for a horse-collar tackle on Kansas City Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson in Week 1.
Johnson is one of several players who could hear from the league as a result of infractions committed during the Rams’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers. That includes multiple calls against the latter franchise on the night.
Saints Tight End Punished After Overlooked Action Against Rams