Jerrell Freeman Suspended 10 Games for PED Use
Jerrell Freeman has been suspended 10 games by the NFL for PED use. It’s his second PED suspension in as many years.
The NFL announced on Monday that Chicago Bears’ LB Jerrell Freeman has been suspended 10 games for PED use. This is Freeman’s second violation of the NFL’s PED policy. He was suspended four games in 2016. Similar to 2016, Freeman took full accountability on his twitter account.
— Jerrell Freeman (@JerrellFreeman) October 30, 2017
Freeman has always been a stand up guy and his comments do in fact seem sincere, but as a Bears’ fan, you can’t give Freeman another pass. Injury or not, after being caught for PEDs last season, you simply can’t buy the injury excuse again, especially a concussion. Not sure how performance enhancing drugs help you recover from a concussion.
More from Bear Goggles On
- Franchise tag and transition tag windows open for Chicago Bears and NFL
- How the Chicago Bears can control the running back market in 2023
- The Chicago Bears can own the city of Chicago moving forward
- Chicago Bears NFL Combine Preview: Quarterback
- 7 best free agent tackle options for Chicago Bears
Bears’ twitter has speculated that the suspension might be marijuana since he was on IR, but keep in mind that marijuana falls under the substance abuse policy, not the PED policy. Freeman’s suspension is for his second violation of the PED policy.
To complicate Freeman’s future even more, he enters the final year of his contract in 2018. He is out of guaranteed money and his suspension is going to spill into 2018. The Bears don’t have a lot of depth at inside linebacker, but you have to wonder if they would rather push Nick Kwiatkoski and Danny Trevathan to start with Christian Jones and perhaps John Timu or a new player in the reserve role and let Freeman walk.
Freeman has been great for the Bears when he’s been on the field, but two PED suspensions in two seasons is going to make the Bears’ wonder if it’s worth bringing Freeman back in 2018, especially when he won’t be eligible to play the first two games of the season.