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Six most important NFL suspensions heading into training camp

Le'Veon Bell Steelers

It’s unfortunate that we have to cover suspensions in the lead up to training camps around the NFL. But it really is the new reality we’re living in today.

Maybe second to only injuries, suspensions seem to have played a major role in how NFL seasons have turned out in the recent past.

This season is no different. A five-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback will miss his team’s first four games. Meanwhile, one of the top all-around running backs in the game will also have to sit out for the first quarter of the year.

Here are the six most-important suspensions around the NFL and what they mean moving forward.

1. Tom Brady, quarterback, New England Patriots (four games)

It goes without saying that Brady being forced from the first quarter of the season could have wide-ranging ramifications around the NFL. We’re not just talking about the AFC East here. We’re talking about the entirety of the league itself.

Brady has started all 112 games for the Patriots over the past seven seasons, posting a combined 85-27 record during that span.

The last time Brady actually missed a game was back in 2008 when he was lost for the year in Week 1. It’s not a coincidence that this represented the only season New England has missed the playoffs over the past 13 years.

While we can fully expect the Patriots to right the ship once Brady returns, the larger issue of home-field advantage in the AFC could play a major role here. After all, Brady boasts a 3-4 career postseason record with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions on the road.

2. Le’Veon Bell, running back, Pittsburgh Steelers (four games

Recently suspended for four games due to an alleged violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, Bell plans to appeal the ruling. Should he be forced to sit the first four games, it would be a major blow to Pittsburgh’s playoff aspirations.

Bell missed 10 games to injury a season ago. The Steelers put up a 6-4 record in those 10 games, earning a spot in the playoffs. That’s fine and dandy, but we’re talking about the most-productive running back in the conference here.

The former Michigan State standout is averaging 132.1 yards and one touchdown per game over his past 22 outings, dating back to the start of the 2014 campaign.

Sure Pittsburgh has DeAngelo Williams to fill in here. And in reality, he actually performed at an extremely impressive clip last season — racking up 1,274 total yards and 11 touchdowns.

The larger issue here is that Bell isn’t the only talented offensive player on the roster to be suspended.

3. Martavis Bryant, wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers (entire season)

Courtesy of USA Today Images

Bryant actually returned from his six game suspension last season the same day Bell was lost for the year. Now that the talented but troubled pass catcher is suspended for the entire 2016 campaign, it’s definitely going to put Pittsburgh’s offense behind the proverbial eight-ball.

Bryant’s importance to what the Steelers did last season cannot be overstated, especially in Bell’s absence. The former fourth-round pick tallied 80-plus yards in four of his 11 games. Pittsburgh boasted a perfect record in those outings. When he didn’t reach that mark, the team went 3-4.

Without Bell and Bryant in the mix for the first four games, and with the latter suspended the entire season, the onus is going to be placed on Antonio Bryant here.

While he’s more than proven himself to be the most-productive receiver in the NFL, defenses are most definitely going to be able to scheme against that.

4. DeMarcus Lawrence, defensive end, Dallas Cowboys (four games)

A second-round pick of the Cowboys back in 2014, Lawrence played a huge role for the team as a sophomore last season. He recorded a team-high eight sacks to go with 55 tackles and a forced fumble.

Now lost for the first four games of the season, Lawrence’s absence is going to be felt big time. That’s only magnified by the same four-game suspension fellow defensive end Randy Gregory received.

Add in the departure of Greg Hardy, and there’s no overstating just how bad of a position the Cowboys are in from a pass-rush perspective.

In fact, outside of Lawrence and Gregory, Tyrone Crawford is the only returning Cowboys defensive end that recorded a single sack for the team last season.

5. Aaron Lynch, linebacker, San Francisco 49ers (four games

Lynch may have racked up only 6.5 sacks as a sophomore last season, but he ranked in the top-five of the entire NFL in quarterback pressures — a stat that’s more indicative of a pass rusher’s impact.

Losing him for the first four games of the season is an absolutely huge blow for a San Francisco defense that needs to display depth in order to overcome Chip Kelly’s fast-paced offense.

As the only EDGE rush on the roster with a history of elite-level success, the team was banking on Lynch big time.

With him out of action, San Francisco’s top-three EDGE rushers are now Ahmad Brooks, Eli Harold and Corey Lemonier. They recorded a combined 6.5 sacks a season ago — all coming from Brooks himself.

6. Rolando McClain, linebacker, Dallas Cowboys (10 games

Rolando McClain

Whether McClain ever plays for the Cowboys again remains to be seen. The team isn’t happy with his latest suspension, and was forced to sign a below-average replacement in the form of Justin Durant earlier this month.

That’s the crux of the issue here. When on the field in Dallas, McClain has proven himself to be a darn good middle linebacker. It’s an unfortunate situation for both the player and the team.

McClain recorded 80 tackles, three passes defenses and a touchdown last season. You simply can’t replace this production on a whim. You most definitely can’t replace it with a street free agent that simply shouldn’t be starting.

With both Lawrence and Gregory suspended the first four games and now having to rely on an injury-plagued Sean Lee to man the middle, the Cowboys defense could be an utter mess early in the year.

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