RICHMOND, Va. — On a tumultuous day for Washington Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland, the second-year player was suspended by the NFL on Friday, nearly a year after being cited for marijuana possession, then was carted off the field because he got injured in practice.
It was not immediately known how badly hurt Breeland might have been. His leg gave out from under him when a receiver he was covering made a cut.
"He’s being evaluated for his injury," Redskins spokesman Tony Wyllie said.
Breeland went down to the ground a couple of hours after the league announced that he had been suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
NFL spokesman Randall Liu said Breeland will serve his suspension in the first week of the regular season, when Washington hosts the Miami Dolphins, whether he is healthy or injured.
He played in 15 games and made two interceptions last season for the Redskins, who went 4-12 and finished last in the NFC East for the sixth time in seven years.
Breeland was expected to contend for a starting spot in the secondary this season.
"It’s a big loss for us, because not only can he play inside at nickel, he can play outside. And he’s a key member of our special teams," Washington coach Jay Gruden said after the suspension news was released — but before the practice session when Breeland injured himself. "We’ll have to get somebody else ready."
Breeland was cited for misdemeanour possession of marijuana the night before the Redskins broke training camp in August 2014. The fourth-round draft pick was given a citation on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, about a dozen blocks from the Redskins’ training camp facility.
Asked why the punishment came so much later, Gruden replied: "I have no idea."
