Black and Blue Review
Panthers defense end Frank Alexander was reinstated by the NFL on Monday. Less than 48 hours later, he was back on the suspended list.
The league announced Wednesday that Alexander violated its substance abuse policy for a second time, an infraction that carries an automatic 10-game suspension. He will be eligible to return to the Panthers on Dec. 15.
When Alexander first failed a drug test this summer, he was suspended for the opening four weeks of the regular-season. That suspension ended Monday, and the team hoped the third-year player could help their flailing pass rush. But Alexander will remain off the active roster, along with Greg Hardy, the team’s Pro Bowl defensive end who’s currently on the league’s exempt list.
Defensive end Charles Johnson does not have a sack in 2014, and he missed Wednesday’s practice with a hip flexor. If Johnson can’t play on Sunday against the Bears, Mario Addison, Wes Horton and rookie Kony Ealy may be the Panthers’ only available defensive ends.
A fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, Alexander flashed potential as a rookie in 2012. But he took a big step back last year, starting with an ejection from the season opener after he threw a punch at Seahawks offensive tackle Breno Giacomini.
This summer, despite his looming suspension, Alexander was the Panthers’ training camp MVP, according to head coach Ron Rivera. A few days into camp, Alexander said, “It’s an eye-opening experience. I’ve just got to be smarter from here on out.”
In a statement released by the NFL Players Association Wednesday night, Alexander said,
“I’m very sorry to the Panthers organization, my teammates, and Panthers fans that my mistakes from many months ago will prevent me from contributing for several more weeks. This discipline arose from a violation that occurred many months ago. Since that violation, I have continued to grow, and I will continue to work hard, as I have been doing, to stay in shape and be a major contributor upon my return. Through God’s favor, I will continue to show through my behavior that I have learned some valuable life lessons.”