JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL suspended Jacksonville Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson on Thursday for the first four games of the regular season for violating league policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Robinson and the team had been awaiting his punishment for more than two months. Knowing it was coming, the Jaguars signed veteran and oft-injured backup Josh Wells to a one-year deal in early April and then used their first-round draft pick on Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison. They hope those moves will help offset being without Robinson for nearly a quarter of the season.
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“As a veteran leader in the locker room, I always want to set a good example and my actions in this instance are not a reflection of that goal,” Robinson said in a statement. “I apologize to the fans, my coaches and, most importantly, my teammates."
Robinson’s suspension is without pay, meaning he will lose roughly $900,000 a game. He’s the highest-paid player on Jacksonville’s roster.
“While we certainly respect the NFL’s ruling and are disappointed with this development, we will support Cam as he works his way through the suspension," the team said in a statement. "We are confident that Cam and our team will rise above this challenge as we collectively move forward.”
Walker Little, a second-round pick in 2021, is expected to fill in for Robinson when Jacksonville opens the season Sept. 10 at Indianapolis. Harrison has worked solely at right tackle during the team’s offseason program.
Robinson is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games. He will be allowed to return to the team's facility during the second half of his suspension and would be eligible to make his regular-season debut when the Jaguars play the Buffalo Bills in London on Oct. 8.
“It hurts me that I cannot be out there with my brothers at the start of the regular season,” Robinson said. "I will attack training camp the same way I have for the last six seasons, to make sure I am ready both mentally and physically.”
Under the NFL's collective bargaining agreement with players, the suspension voids all remaining guarantees in the three-year, $52.75 million contract Robinson signed last year. The deal included a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed.
Now, the Jaguars could cut or trade Robinson before or during this season with no additional salary-cap repercussions. A more likely outcome: Jacksonville simply slides Robinson back into his starting spot once he returns and moves Little to left guard, a position he worked at during OTAs.
“That’s a scenario that’s something that we can see doing,” coach Doug Pederson said during minicamp earlier this month. “When Cam comes back, what type of shape is he in, things of that nature. … With Walker, who ended the season at left tackle, I think that’s a really good fit for him, played that in college and then potentially slide him in (at left guard). … We’ll see how that goes during (training) camp.”
Robinson was held back during most of offseason workouts. He tore the meniscus in his right knee in mid-December and missed the final five games of the season, including two in the playoffs.
A second-round pick from Alabama in 2017, Robinson has started 75 games over six seasons in Jacksonville.
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