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St. Louis Rams running back Tre Mason carries the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL game in Santa Clara, Calif., on Jan. 3, 2016

(AP Photo)

After a season out of football filled with off-the-field issues, former Auburn standout Tre Mason is working toward a comeback this year, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Ricardo Louis said.

"Right now, he's waiting for the draft to come," Louis told TMZ Sports, "and then after the draft, he's going to pick a team to go play for, because obviously he's not with the Rams anymore. But he's been working, so he may get on a team and pick up right where he left off, you know? So basically, we're just working. That's it. That's the moral to the story: We're working."

Louis and Mason were teammates at Auburn for two seasons, including 2013, when Mason was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist as the Tigers won the league championship and played in the BCS national-championship game.

Auburn running back Tre Mason (21) celebrates with wide receiver Ricardo Louis (5) and fullback Jay Prosch after scoring a touchdown against Florida Atlantic of Oct. 26, 2013, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala.

Louis said he and Mason had been training together during this offseason.

"We just work hard," Louis said. "When me and him get together, that's all we do. We've been doing this since we were at Auburn. Before we had that magical season, we were working hard. The situation he's going through right now, we're still getting it in, we're still going through the process we went through before that magical season we had. And every year that we've been off, we've been working."

Mason has not played football since the end of the 2015 season. He spent last season on the Los Angeles Rams' did-not-report list after he failed to show up for his third NFL training camp in July. The Rams released Mason on March 10. He had not attended Los Angeles' offseason program after being excused following his arrest on March 5, 2016, in Hollywood, Florida.

"I don't have no doubt in my mind," Louis said when asked if Mason would be back in the NFL in 2017. "The work he's put in, the mindset he has, the track he's on right now is all leading towards him getting another chance and playing and picking up right where he left off."

Louis is scheduled to report for the Browns' offseason program on Monday.

After being selected by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Louis played in every game and made three starts. He caught 18 passes for 205 yards and was on the field for more special-teams plays than any other Cleveland offensive player in 2016.

But the Browns won only one game in 2016.

"As soon as the season was over, I was really motivated to get better individually," Louis said. "Obviously, the season didn't go how everybody wanted it to, but at the end of the day, I just can control only what I can control, and that's me working as hard as I can to make sure I can help my team win more games and do better this upcoming season. And that's why I've been motivated ever since the season ended just to work hard every day, find something to get better at every single day. No days off."

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Louis said training with Mason helped him work harder.

"He motivates me regardless of the situation he's going through - success or no success," Louis said. "Whatever it is, he motivates me. Even through all that that was going on, we still would talk about getting better and achieving the number-one goal of being the greatest at what we do. So no matter what situation he's going through, there's still motivation on both sides.

Mason joined the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft and was their leading ball-carrier that year with 765 rushing yards in 12 games to earn a spot on the NFL All-Rookie team.

The Rams selected Georgia running back Todd Gurley with the 10th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. While Gurley went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie, Mason's production plunged to 207 rushing yards in the 2015 season.

Charges stemming from Mason's arrest last year were resolved in the Broward County Court of Judge Robert F. Diaz on Nov. 3. The punishment was "fine and/or costs," which amounted to $293.

According to the police report of his arrest, Mason would not identify himself after being pulled over for going 75 mph in a 35-mph zone, and he would not get out his car when asked to do so. A Taser was used to remove Mason from the car, and the Taser was used on Mason again after he was out of the vehicle.

Mason was charged with resisting an officer/obstruction without violence, reckless driving, failure to register a motor vehicle, possession of marijuana in an amount less than 20 grams and failure to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle.

That was not the extent of Mason's off-the-field troubles since his most recent football game, though. Mason was arrested on Jan. 11 by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in connection with an incident involving an ATV on July 27. He was charged with fleeing and eluding without regard for others' safety or property.

A plea conference on the charges has been set for May 24.

Law-enforcement personnel visited the home of Mason's mother at least five times between his traffic-stop arrest and the ATV incident.

On July 23, Mason's mother called police because of her son's "unusual" behavior and "irrational statements." According to the police report, Mason told officers who responded to the home on July 23 that "he was going to call the White House and we were all going to lose our jobs" and "the police were responsible for teaching al-Qaida how to fly planes."