Brandon Browner rejects suspension reduction
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Seahawks No. 2 cornerback Brandon Browner is currently nursing a groin pull that he suffered a few weeks ago against the Atlanta Falcons, and he’s fully expected to miss tomorrow’s rivalry game against the San Francisco 49ers. Even with Walter Thurmond suspended, the Seahawks are fine at CB due to their incredible depth; both Jeremy Lane and Byron Maxwell are very good players who have always been rated highly by the coaching staff, and they showed it on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints.
But the real issue with Browner is his suspension, which would take him through December of 2014 if it goes through. The league offered Browner a reduction of the suspension so that Browner could return in October, but FOX Sports’s excellent Mike Garafolo reports that Browner turned down the reduction offer and will continue to pursue his appeal instead.
He has a strong case to get his suspension overturned due to a misleading report from the NFL Network and the fact that he wasn’t notified of the NFL’s drug-testing requirements when he played in the CFL. It’s an interesting and cloudy case, and Browner seems to be banking on his ability to win. He also knows that he needs to win in order to get the best payday possible in free agency, and the fact that Browner has an expiring contract has definitely put him in a precarious position. His best bet is probably to stay in Seattle and benefit from the fact that Pete Carroll puts a premium on bigger corners like Browner in his defensive scheme.
Browner claims that the urine collector who tested for a banned substance used a damaged cup, but that defense probably won’t go anywhere since Garafolo reports that the urine collector gave a contradicting account to the league’s medical director.
It will be interesting to see how this case develop, because the stakes are incredibly high for Brandon Browner and pretty high for the league, particularly when it comes to their reputation in being able to fairly handle cases of this nature.