Cardinals tackle Massie reportedly suspended first three games
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals starting right tackle Bobby Massie has been suspended for three games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, a person with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the suspension has not been officially announced, said the suspension has been appealed.
Massie, entering his fourth season in the NFL, started every game at right tackle for Arizona last season. The 2012 fourth-round draft pick out of Mississippi was holding onto the job in camp despite the Cardinals' selection of tackle D.J. Humphries in this year's draft.
The 6-foot-3, 316-pound Massie is in the final year of his contract.
The suspension first was reported by ESPN.
Asked about the suspension report before Tuesday's practice, defensive end Calais Campbell said "it's one of those things you hate to hear, you hope that the appeal process goes in our favor, but it's one of those things you have to deal with."
Humphries played left tackle at Florida but, with Jared Veldheer firmly entrenched on the left side, the Cardinals moved the rookie to right tackle.
Coach Bruce Arians has been critical of Humphries' lack of progress but said he had been playing better lately before being sidelined last week with a sore knee.
"D.J.'s making a nice move," Arians said before news of Massie's suspension leaked out. "Hopefully he can get back out there and go as well as he was. He's gotten serious about this stuff. It's not college anymore."
Asked why the improvement, Arians said it was due to a knee in Humphries' rear end every day.
"A foot wasn't going to do it," Arians said. "That's why his nickname's `Knee Deep.'"
Drafting Humphries as the 24th pick overall was one of two major moves made by the Cardinals in the offseason to bolster the offensive line. The other was to sign free agent left guard Mike Iupati.
Massie started all 16 games at right tackle as a rookie in 2012 but in 2013, Arians' first in Arizona, he lost much of his playing time to Eric Winston.
Cardinals inside linebacker Darryl Washington was suspended all of last season for violating the league substance abuse policy and has yet to be reinstated.
