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Former Cleveland Browns defensive back Justin Gilbert was suspended for four games by the NFL for an undisclosed reason, NFL Network’s Courtney Fallon reported.
Source: Free Agent DB Justin Gilbert has been suspended by the Commissioner for the first 4 weeks of the 2017 season. Former 1st rd pick.
— Courtney Fallon (@CourtneyFallon_) May 25, 2017
Fallon’s colleague Ian Rapoport later chimed in that Gilbert was suspended, while not on a roster, for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
4 games for violating the @NFL Substances of Abuse policy. https://t.co/WmrOBoepJd
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 26, 2017
Gilbert spent 12 games with the Browns in 2016 before being shipped to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2018 6th round pick.
One has to wonder whether the end is near for the former elite defensive prospect. Transitioning to the NFL hasn’t been easy mentally for the young man. In addition to falling short of developing into an even serviceable cornerback on the field, Gilbert has had issues waking up on time for meetings and was labeled a “loner” and “aloof” by former ClevelandBrowns.com writer Kevin Jones.
He was generally “not liked” and “rubbed people the wrong way” because he has, or at least had at the time in Cleveland, an entitlement complex, per Jones.
If Gilbert does indeed run out of opportunities after this latest hiccup, it’ll result in yet another sad story for a recent Browns draft pick who quickly busted and washed out of the league.
It’s hard to say, given the team selecting the Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden tandem in 2012, but the Browns’ 2014 first round may end up being one of the worst of all time.