Second Year Tight End Shawn Nelson Suspended First Four Games

Added on Aug 21, 2010 by Eric Galko in

NFL

In what has quietly been a huge year for NFL suspensions, another one was almost swept under the rug for the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills offense is set to be among the worst in the NFL this year, but Shawn Nelson, 2^nd year tight end from Southern Miss, was set to be their top receiving tight end and their likely top red zone threat.

Nelson is an incredible athlete, and was viewed by some, including obviously the Bills, as a Jermaine Gresham type of talent without the national spotlight.

Nelson was buried on the depth chart according to the Bills official depth chart, yet many couldn’t understand why. Until yesterday.

He will be suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy. The details are not known and maybe never will be known.

Top players such as Vincent Jackson, Santonio Holmes, Brian Cushing, and many others have been suspended this year. And while some aren’t violators of the substance abuse policy, the punishments sent down by the NFL is making a good impression.

While the Bills will be frustrated with the loss of their second best receiving weapon to start the season, the Nelson suspension and the many others is a sign that the NFL policies are being enforced without objection and out of the national attention.

It might have been steroids, or HGH, or something small. But, either way, as long as Nelson is punished and doesn’t do it again, everything can proceed to normal when he returns, others players don’t make the same mistake, and no one really gets hurt.

Well, maybe except for the Bills, who just can’t catch a break this year.