Backup Cowboys offensive tackle R.J. Dill has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the policy on performance-enhancing substances, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram passed on a statement from Dill regarding the suspension (via Twitter). “My doctor suggested that I undergo testosterone replacement therapy, and I accepted the recommended treatment.”
Charles Robinson of Yahoo! notes that needing testosterone replacement for a 24-year-old professional athlete like Dill would be a rarity (via Twitter).
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- The Texans just released Stevie Brown, and the Giants could be interested in bringing him back, given their current situation at safety, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN (via Twitter). Graziano adds that injury concerns led to the Giants passing on him in the spring, but as they have been saddled with injuries at safety (via Twitter).
- Speaking of injured Giants safety, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com is skeptical the Giants will keep Nat Berhe on the roster this season if he will miss the first four games of the season, maybe more (via Twitter). It could be way more, as surgery could end his season.
- Buccaneers’ fifth-round pick Kenny Bell will sit out of tomorrow’s preseason game against the Browns with a hamstring injury, and could miss the rest of the preseason, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. If he does miss the rest of the preseason, it could effect whether or not he makes the 53-man roster come Week 1.
- As the regular season comes closer, the Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com opens his mailbag to discuss what the final roster will look like after the team is forced to cut it down first to 75 players and then 53 before Week 1. He is skeptical the Saints will keep more than four or five receivers, leaving Seantavious Jones and Willie Snead IV on the outside looking in. He also opines on which running back and defensive linemen on the bubble will find their way onto the roster for the regular season.
At this point, I’d be pretty surprised if the Giants didn’t bring in Brown. Having a halfway decent safety who has a familiarity with the defense is almost a dream scenario considering the horrible run of bad luck they’ve suffered at the position.