Report: Fred Davis, Trent Williams suspended four games

[skinsfaninok]

Prob TW

[SFREDSKIN]

Posted at 03:45 PM ET, 12/04/2011
Redskins’ Trent Williams and Fred Davis to be suspended for the rest of the season
By Rick Maese and Mike Jones

Updated: 3:45 p.m.:

The NFL is expected to notify Redskins left tackle Trent Williams and tight end Fred Davis that each will miss the remainder of the season due to multiple failed drug tests under a settlement reached between the league and the NFL Players Association Saturday.

The players will be formally notified of their four-game suspensions in the next couple of days, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Because the season-ending suspensions are part of a deal , neither player will be able to appeal and neither is expected to see any more action this season.

Each player has failed at least three drug tests since entering the league, according to a league source, including two failures since the lockout ended in July. Davis, a fourth-year tight end, and Williams, a second-year offensive tackle, were part of a group of 11 players who failed drug tests shortly after reporting for training camp in July.

The league and the union have been negotiating on the fate of that group since August, deciding whether the NFL would grant those players a “grace period,” because of the lockout.

While nine of the 11 players will face no punishment for their failed tests, Davis and Williams will be suspended because they subsequently failed another drug test after the regular season began in September, according to the person with knowledge of the situation.

Spokesmen for the league and the union declined comment Sunday. A team spokesman said the team had not been notified of any punishment against either player.

Under terms of the league’s substance abuse program, a player with three failed tests for recreational drugs is subject to a year-long suspension from the NFL. Because one of the offenses came during the “grace period,” the union negotiated the suspension down to four games, the typical punishment for a second offense.

Both NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, worked personally on the settlement, and the two sides agreed in principle to the deal on Saturday. Sports Illustrated first reported the news Sunday afternoon.

Davis and Williams were aware this week that a suspension was likely and took the field on Sunday afternoon against the New York Jets knowing it would likely be their last game this season.

Original post:

Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis and left tackle Trent Williams will be suspended for four games after failing drug tests at the end of the NFL lockout, according to a Sports Illustrated report.

Davis and Williams were among 11 players who failed drug tests. But there was some controversy over the matter because players weren’t subject to testing during the lockout and were told by NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith that they would receive a grace period before the tests began.

According to the SI.com report, the two suspensions stem from the fact that Davis and Williams have both tested positive for marijuana during the season and because it was at least each player’s third offense under the policy.

Under a settlement reached between the league and the players association, no players who tested positive during the grace period would receive discipline. But Williams and Davis failed tests both during the grace period and after the period ended.

When reached for comment on Sunday, a league spokesman declined comment.

News first surfaced of the failed drug tests shortly before Washington’s game at Miami three weeks ago, and word at the time was that both players faced fines. After the game, both Williams and Davis said that they had no comment on the matter.

At the time, Davis said he had yet to hear from the NFL but had been briefed by his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. “I’m not going to comment on that until that situation comes,” he said then. Williams said, “I don’t know anything about that.”

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said at the time that he couldn’t comment either.

A team spokesman said Sunday morning that the Redskins have no knowledge of the suspensions.

[mooby]

Each player has failed at least three drug tests since entering the league, according to a league source, including two failures since the lockout ended in July. Davis, a fourth-year tight end, and Williams, a second-year offensive tackle, were part of a group of 11 players who failed drug tests shortly after reporting for training camp in July.

Cool. So we have a couple of potheads. Well that's great. Way to be committed young professionals guys. I've got it! It's a negotiating ploy! They are going to use it as a tactic to show how valuable they are to our offense by showing us film of how bad we suck when both aren't in the lineup! Brilliant!

[sdskinsfan2001]

A lot of black people love weed, there is nothing more important to them than marijuana.

Its truly sad that they know they have a lot to lose and the fact that 52 other guys are depending on them and they still go ahead and do it anyways.

Dumb, selfish, immature boys is what they are. They aren't men.

[Hog1]

THREE F...N TIMES???
Come on man...........
They DO NOT deserve a reduction in sentence...

[skinsfaninok]

Hey SD we don't need to bring the black card into this matter please

[mooby]

Originally Posted by skinsfaninok

Hey SD we don't need to bring the black card into this matter please

I'll second that. I know way too many white people who smoke pot to think that it's just a black people thing.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by sdskinsfan2001

A lot of people love weed, there is nothing more important to them than marijuana.

Its truly sad that they know they have a lot to lose and the fact that 52 other guys are depending on them and they still go ahead and do it anyways.

Dumb, selfish, immature boys is what they are. They aren't men.

fixed it for ya

[skinsfaninok]

I'm
Not calling SD out just saying some folks take things personal even when your not meaning it

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

fixed it for ya

Sooo.....Painless

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by skinsfaninok

Hey SD we don't need to bring the black card into this matter please

About the pot thing I totally agree, but the "black" card at some point needs to be addressed with in terms of other matters. More white folks smoke pot than probably the entire black population combined, but the rate of drug offenses, hard drug offenses and gun related violence is almost exclusively among black players. The question should be asked Why? And more importantly, why is it not combatted with more fervor? Why aren't these questions asked? It because it would open a non PC can of worms in respect to race, and the subculture of the streets. You can bury your head in the sand with the PC stuff, but the only way to deal and correct problems is first identifying there is a problem, ask why it is happening, and hit the problem head on. Sweeping it under the rug as to not to offend some folks is lunacy. It is one of the major factors our society is so screwed up. Nobody wants to deal with the problems as to not offend even a minority of people.

[T.O.Killa]

Hey man, I can't believe it was even said. I at least hope the culprit is black, because it is way out of line to call it a black thing. These two morons, especialy Trent Williams have been paid enough money that they should not be putting themselves in this situation.

[MTK]

our offense is really gonna go down the crapper now

[SFREDSKIN]

Originally Posted by T.O.Killa

These two morons, especialy Trent Williams have been paid enough money that they should not be putting themselves in this situation.

Now we know why Williams wasn't practicing with the rest of his mates during the strike, he was too stoned!!

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Now we know why Williams wasn't practicing with the rest of his mates during the strike, he was too stoned!!

now we know why he overslept