The NFL has suspended Indianapolis Colts wide receiver LaVon Brazill for "at least" one year, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, and Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Rokevious Watkins for four games, also according to Rapoport.
LaVon Brazill, Rokevious Watkins suspended by NFL
Brazill will miss “at least” one year, while Watkins will miss the first four games of the regular season
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Brazill is entering his third season in the league after being made a sixth-round pick in 2012. He served a four-game suspension in 2013 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. If he’s missing a year or more, then he has to be in the third step of the league’s policy, which means the chances of him getting it reduced seem low.
Brazill managed to snag two touchdowns in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals last season, showing flashes of high-level play. He was already a player on the roster bubble heading into the 2014-15 season, though, thanks to generally inconsistent play. Brazill was counting on a big training camp and preseason to earn his spot on the roster.
He’ll still be able to do those things, but the Colts devoting too much time to him given that he’s set to miss an entire season doesn’t seem all that likely.
Last season, Watkins served a one-game suspension for violating the drug policy. Watkins was with the St. Louis Rams when he was given the suspension, but the team ended up releasing him when he reported to camp well over his target weight, the second time that had happened in the NFL.
So Watkins ended up serving that one-game suspension with the Chiefs. He ended up appearing in just four games last season, including one start at left guard in the regular season finale against the San Diego Chargers. He's a depth player, but given that both Jon Asamoah and Geoff Schwartz departed in free agency, the Chiefs were holding a competition at the position.
Watkins was competing with Jeff Linkenbach and Rishaw Johnson for the spot opposite Jeff Allen. None of the three seemed to have an edge over the other, though this would seem to remove Watkins from that competition altogether. Him starting in 2013 would likely hinge on one of those other two playing extremely poorly or sustaining an injury, if he keeps his place on the roster at all.
Brazill and Watkins aren’t the only two to be suspended on Thursday, as Miami Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan was also given a four-game ban. Below, we’ve got a table of the suspensions thus far for 2014:
| Player | Reason | Length | First offense? | Cost |
| Fred Davis | Substance abuse | Indefinite | No | N/A |
| Jake Knott | PEDs | 4 games | Yes | $116,470.00 |
| Brandon Moore | Substance abuse | 4 games | Yes | $98,823.00 |
| Frank Alexander | Substance abuse | 4 games | Yes | $134,117.00 |
| Stedman Bailey | PEDs | 4 games | Yes | $120,551.00 |
| Robert Mathis | PEDs | 4 games | Yes | $705,882.00 |
| Daryl Washington | Substance abuse | 1 year | No | $3,000,000.00 |
| Will Hill | Substance abuse | 6 games | No | $201,176.00 |
| Jayron Hosley | Substance abuse | 4 games | Yes | $134,117.00 |
| Lane Johnson | PEDs | 4 games | Yes | $123,750.00 |
| Dion Jordan | PEDs | 4 games | Yes | $123,750.00 |
| Rokevious Watkins | Substance abuse | 4 games | No | $123,750.00 |
| LaVon Brazill | PEDs | 1 year | No | $570,000.00 |
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