Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2016 season, the team announced today in a press release. The NFL handed down the four-game ban due to a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
“We are disappointed to hear the news regarding Jalen today,” Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said in a statement. “I have already spoken to Jalen about this, and I have no doubt this will be something that he will learn from.”
Collins, a second-round pick out of LSU last year, played in all 16 games during his rookie season in Atlanta, but made just two starts and didn’t see extensive playing time on defense. Collins was viewed as a candidate to be selected much higher than 42nd overall, where the Falcons nabbed him, but other teams steered clear due to some off-field red flags.
According to reports, multiple clubs flagged Collins due to his marijuana use, and the 23-year-old admitted after the draft that he failed at least three drug tests at LSU. While that off-field history didn’t have an impact on Collins’ rookie season, it seems the Falcons have been burned in his sophomore year, though it’s not clear what substance caused Collins to fail his test.
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