Just days after he was reinstated from a four-game suspension, Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander has received another suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, the team announced today (via Twitter). It’s a 10-game ban for Alexander, which means he’ll be eligible to return on Monday, December 15 for the final two weeks of the regular season.
Alexander, 24, didn’t play a significant role on Carolina’s defensive line a year ago, appearing in just 239 defensive snaps. However, with Greg Hardy on the exempt list, the Panthers may have leaned a little more heavily on the former fourth-round pick this season. With Alexander headed back to the reserve/suspended list, the team will have to continue to rely on Wes Horton, Mario Addison, and perhaps Kony Ealy.
Alexander’s 10-game ban for substances of abuse suggests that it’s his fifth violation of the policy. Under the new agreement between the league and the union, Alexander would be subject to a year-long suspension if he violates the policy for a sixth time.