New Orleans Saints rookie QB Jake Haener suspended 6 weeks to begin the season

The New Orleans Saints will be down a quarterback for the first portion of the regular season, the team announced on Wednesday. Rookie quarterback Jake Haener has been suspended for the first six weeks of the season.

The suspension, which the franchise announced in a short release, is for violating the league policy on performance-enhancing substances. The exact nature of Haener’s infraction isn’t clear.

Because he violated league policy, Haener is suspended without pay.

He can rejoin the team on Oct. 16, the Monday following a Week 6 contest against the Houston Texans.

Haener was taken No. 127 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Saints out of Fresno State. He was expected to serve as the primary backup to starter Derek Carr.

Haener isn’t the only suspension for performance enhancers to start the 2023 season

The NFL officially suspended Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson for four games for violating the PED policy over the summer, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Robinson’s transgressions were first reported in April by SI’s John Shipley. The league made it official as June came to a close.

Robinson, a former Alabama star, was selected with the No. 34 overall pick (second round) in the 2017 NFL Draft. 

The former Alabama tackle appeared in 75 games during his six-year career in the National Football League. Last year, Robinson started in 14 games at left tackle, with 2022 second-round left tackle Walker Little taking the other five starts for the Jaguars.

Robinson tore his meniscus in December last season, which pushed Little into the lineup for the final three weeks of the regular season and both of the Jaguars’ playoff games. Jaguars GM Trent Baalke said the franchise expected to have him healthy when the team gets to training camp.

During his time in Tuscaloosa, Robinson started every game at left tackle (43 games). He racked up numerous accolades during his time there. Robinson became one of the team’s three unanimous All-American selections in 2016.

He also won the Outland Trophy in 2016, his junior season with the Crimson Tide. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder also won the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the second won that Alabama brought home in two years. He racked up a team-high 37 knockdown blocks in 15 games during his junior campaign.

As a freshman for Alabama, he earned freshman All-American honors after finishing with 32 knockdown blocks. He also only allowed three sacks during 861 snaps.