According to reports, Washington Redskins defensive end/linebacker Trent Murphy has been suspended for four games for violating the league’s performance enhancing drugs policy. Murphy immediately appealed the decision, but will now face missing the first four games of the 2017 season.
Murphy, a second round pick in the 2014 draft, is coming off his best season as a pro in which he registered a career-high nine sacks and three forced fumbles, despite having to share time with Preston Smith. Last year was truly a coming out party for the Stanford graduate.
The team was unavailable for comment.
Weight drop after position switch didn’t hold Murphy back
Murphy was asked in the offseason last year to put on a large amount of weight (reportedly 30 pounds) to play defensive end. After another Achilles injury to linebacker Junior Galette, the team asked him to cut the weight and switch back to linebacker. Murphy made both switches without a problem, and in turn nearly had a Pro Bowl season in the process. Many around the situation believe that Murphy could have easily recorded double digit sack numbers if given the chance to be the full time starter in all team packages in 2016.
Galette will be attempting his third go at being a Washington Redskin as the team already re-signed him to a new deal.
The idea going into the 2017 season is that new defensive coordinator Greg Manusky will look to be more aggressive with the pass rush. With edge rushers like Murphy, Ryan Kerrigan, Smith and Galette, if he can stay healthy, you have to wonder why they won’t have one of the top units in the entire National Football Conference.
#Redskins OLB Trent Murphy is facing a 4-game suspension to start the 2017 season for PEDs, per sources. Murphy has appealed.
— Master Tesfatsion (@MasterTes) March 5, 2017
Redskins will add more defenders at the draft
The Redskins could very well look to take another pass rusher in April's draft after spending the last few days looking at the elite upcoming players at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The team is looking to build their defense in free agency and the draft this offseason after being near the bottom of the league against the rush the last few years.
