There are a lot of suspensions to keep track of in the NFL this season. It’s going to affect a lot of early NFL betting lines, so make sure you keep track. Some suspensions are for the full season while others are in the range of four to six games. Here are five suspensions that are worth noting because every team’s situation and needs are slightly different.
1. Daryl Washington, Arizona Cardinals
In the 2013 season, the Cardinals rose to the forefront of the NFL because of their defense, which got better and tougher as the season moved along. With Washington, a linebacker, out of the mix for the full season, the Cardinals’ depth is going to be tested. In November and December, this could potentially have a very large impact on the course of Arizona’s campaign. The Cardinals need to retain as many resources as possible. Washington’s loss seems to be important, but not a game-changer.
2. Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns
The 2013 season was such a good one for Gordon, one of the bright receiving talents in the NFL, a young player with so much upside. This yearlong suspension puts the brakes on Gordon’s career, and it also limits the Browns’ options. Cleveland got Miles Austin to fill in the gap, but the Browns would have liked to have Gordon as their main pass-catching target. There’s no getting around how big a loss this is.
3. Justin Blackmon, Jacksonville Jaguars
The troubled receiver has been suspended indefinitely, and it’s obvious that at this point in his career, Blackmon is lost. He has not been able to make good decisions on or off the field. He is wandering, always in search of some stability and confidence. People have been wondering when Blackmon would put the pieces together, but it now seems he’s never going to do so. Maybe he’ll be ready to play well in three or more years, after a long period of struggle. He doesn’t seem ready to be a good player anytime soon.
4. Robert Mathis, Indianapolis Colts
The four games for which Mathis will be suspended will certainly hurt the Indianapolis Colts along their defensive line. The Colts need to set a tone with that part of their roster. The better their defense can play, especially early in games, the less Andrew Luck has to carry the load on offense. The Colts are fortunate that Mathis will miss only four games and not six or eight.
5. Brandon Browner, New England Patriots
The four games Browner will miss are not going to mean the end of the world for the Patriots. The big thing to keep in mind for New England is that it wants to be ready to beat the Denver Broncos in January. As long as the Patriots are in position to do that and Browner can shore up a secondary that lost Aqib Talib to the Broncos in the offseason, New England should feel reasonably good about where it stands in the bigger scheme of things.
