Seahawks’ DT suspended 4 games for performanceenhancing drugs

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks have suffered their second loss of a player this week for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

On Friday the league confirmed a report that defensive tackle Al Woods has been suspended for four games.

This comes after Monday’s announcement that receiver Josh Gordon had been suspended indefinitely for violating both the policies on PEDs and substances of abuse. The suspension of Woods was first reported by the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and confirmed by a league statement.

Woods cannot play in the final two regular-season games of the year, and that will carry over into the playoffs. Woods presumably would be available if Seattle were to play a third playoff game this season.

The 6-foot-4, 330-pound Woods, 32, has been a mainstay at tackle for the Seahawks this season, playing in all 14 games and starting five early in the season when he filled in for Jarran Reed, who had been suspended six games for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy.

After Reed returned, Woods remained a key part of the defensive-line rotation, playing at least 29% of the snaps in every game, almost solely on early downs or obvious running downs.

He has one sack and 32 tackles this season.

Woods played for Seattle briefly in 2011 and returned last spring on a one-year deal worth up to $2.25 million. He will not get paid for the final two games of the regular season, losing $147,058 in base salary. He also had roster bonuses of $18,750 for every game that he was on the active roster that he will also not receive.

Seattle has an obvious replacement for Woods on its practice squad in rookie Bryan Mone, who played the first three games of the season for the Seahawks, filling in as depth in the absence of Reed, before being released and re-signed to the practice squad. Seattle can add Mone to the roster by Saturday to be eligible to play in Sunday’s game against Arizona.