DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins running back Mark Walton received six months of non-reporting probation Monday as part of a plea deal to resolve his three offseason court cases, according to Miami-Dade court records.
Walton's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, said his client had the most significant charge of felony carrying a concealed weapon from his March arrest reduced to a second-degree misdemeanor open carry charge after pleading no contest. Walton was arrested after a car chase with police. The plea deal decreased the maximum of his jail sentence from five years to 60 days.
Walton also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and reckless driving and had a misdemeanor marijuana charge dismissed in that same March incident. As a part of the deal, Walton also had a drug charge from a January incident and a battery charge from a February incident dismissed. He will also have to attend driving school after the reckless driving plea.
This marks an end to legal portion of a chaotic offseason for Walton in which he was arrested three times in three months. He can now start to fully turn his focus to football again. He is set to face no jail time as long as he avoids trouble during his probation period.
Walton was not at Dolphins practice Monday during the media viewing period.
The Dolphins signed Walton, a local star from the University of Miami, in May after the Bengals released him following his series of arrests. At the time, Dolphins coach Brian Flores said "people deserve a second chance."
"I don't want to judge people based on one incident (or) two incidents," Flores said. "I think it's a case-by-case situation for a player and just for people in general. That's kind of my stance."
Though Walton's legal case is over, he could still face league discipline from the NFL's personal conduct policy that could lead to a suspension and/or fine.
"We have been monitoring developments in the matter which remains under review," the NFL said Monday.
Walton is in good position to win the Dolphins' No. 3 running back job behind Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage. He started Friday's preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he's flashed during practices as a receiving back.
Walton, a 2018 fourth-round pick, had 14 carries for 34 yards and five catches for 41 yards in 14 games for Bengals last season.