Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Bobby Brown III is suspended for the first six games of the season.
the NFL announced Brown’s suspension on Monday. The defensive tackle was suspended, without pay, for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Brown will not be on the active roster for the first third of the season. Given the Rams have a Week 7 bye, the earliest Brown can touch the football field will be Week 8. Although, he can practice with the team.
Brown enters his second season after the Rams drafted him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. Brown played in just 22 defensive snaps as a rookie and accumulated a tackle in year one; but he figured to be a part of the defensive line rotation this season.
He still could be part of it, but he will not play until nearly halfway through the season.
“he was expected to be the Rams’ fourth or fifth defensive lineman on the depth chart,” Cameron DaSilva wrote.
That is assuming that Brown makes the final roster. With how little he produced, granted he didn’t have much playing time, Brown could be practice squad material after the suspension.
Of course, this is all speculation until the final roster is made official. However, The Rams might not carry a suspended Brown through the final cuts.
What does that mean for everyone not named Bobby Brown?
The Rams still tout a fearsome trio of defensive linemen. The team has Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson. However, the Rams don’t have great depth behind these players.
DaSilva mentioned that Brown was competing for the fourth spot. That hole seems wide open now.
In place of Brown, other players will need to step up so the big three can rest a bit. Of these players, Marquise Copeland might be the most likely candidate.
Copeland is a third-year defensive lineman who played more than Brown last season. Additionally, Copeland played in the playoffs for the Rams. During his time, Copeland had 11 tackles and one for loss. While Copeland might not be the best substitution player, he has experience.
As a result, he might grab the fourth defensive line role and run with it.
More must-reads: