NFL

Report: Lions' Rogers suspended 4 games

By wire services
Published October 4, 2005

Lions WR Charles Rogers will be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, ESPN reported Monday night.

A suspension would mean Rogers tested positive for an illegal street drug for the third time. The minimum suspension for four positive tests is one year.

Unless Rogers appeals, the suspension could be announced this week, ESPN reported. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league had no comment.

In three games, Rogers has caught five passes for 77 yards. After a 17-13 loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday in which he wasn't thrown a pass until the fourth quarter, Rogers said he was confused about his current role in the offense.

He chose not to elaborate Monday.

"Today wouldn't be a good day for me to talk. I don't want to get into all that," Rogers said, speaking before reports of his suspension surfaced.

CARDINALS: CB Antrell Rolle , the team's first-round draft pick this year out of Miami, will miss the rest of the season because of a left knee injury. He tore meniscus cartilage during a loss Sept.25 at Seattle. David Macklin , the team's other starting cornerback, aggravated his left hamstring injury and had to leave Sunday's game against the 49ers.

FALCONS: QB Michael Vick is expected to start Sunday against New England after an MRI exam confirmed he did not seriously injure his right knee against Minnesota. "It confirmed that it was just a mild sprain of his MCL, and he is day to day," coach Jim Mora said. "That ought to put that to rest for a least two or three minutes from now when someone asks another question about it."

RAMS: TE Roland Williams will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Cam Cleeland , who played for the Rams in 2003 and 2004, might return. He was expected in St. Louis by today, but coach Mike Martz wasn't certain if Cleeland would be ready for Sunday against Seattle.

REDSKINS: Despite the team's 3-0 start, there's one nagging question: What happened to LB LaVar Arrington ? Coach Joe Gibbs finally gave the direct answer: "He's not a starter." The Pro Bowl selection each of his last three healthy seasons with the $68-million contract is now the franchise's most expensive bench-warmer. "I hate not playing, but I don't make those decisions," he said. He was on the field for two plays Sunday against Seattle and didn't do anything to register on the stat sheet.

[Last modified October 4, 2005, 02:15:30]