Lynch expected to appeal suspension
The Buffalo Bills appear ready to accept Marshawn Lynch's three-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Whether Lynch is ready to do the same remains to be seen.
The third-year running back is expected to appeal the suspension, which was officially announced by the NFL on Thursday.
Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Lynch without pay for the first three games of the regular season. The punishment goes into effect after the last week of the preseason. He'll be eligible to return the week of the fourth game.
"We have been informed by the league as to Commissioner Goodell's decision regarding the suspension of Marshawn Lynch," the Bills said in a statement released through their media relations department. "We fully support the NFL Personal Conduct Policy and believe that Marshawn is committed to conducting himself responsibly. When he spoke to the media recently, he talked about making changes and better decisions, and we feel that he is moving forward in a positive direction."
All appeals are heard by Goodell, who has final say on whether to overturn or uphold his prior ruling. Lynch could pin hopes on the precedent Goodell set with Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
Goodell suspended Marshall for the first three games last season after a series of off-the-field misdeeds, but the penalty was reduced to one game on appeal.
Unfortunately for Lynch, his cause could be hurt by Marshall getting arrested again last month for disorderly conduct in Atlanta. It was Marshall's fourth arrest since March 2006. Because Marshall failed to stay out of trouble after getting a lesser suspension, Goodell might not be as lenient toward Lynch, who will lose about $112,000 of his $630,000 base salary if his suspension is upheld.
Goodell said at his pre-Super Bowl news conference that he would come down harder on repeat offenders of the personal conduct policy. Lynch was arrested last February for possession of an unregistered firearm in Culver City, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. Last spring, he was involved in a hit-and-run incident on Chippewa Street in Buffalo.
Lynch pleaded guilty to lesser offenses in both cases and received probation, fines and community service. But Goodell didn't let Lynch off so easily.
Losing Lynch, who made the Pro Bowl after a second straight 1,000-yard season, could be a big blow to the Bills' chances of getting off to a good start this season. They open on Monday Night Football at the New England Patriots, who have won the last 11 meetings. The rest of the 2009 schedule will be released on Tuesday.
With Lynch out, the Bills have depth concerns at running back. Fred Jackson, who is expected to start in Lynch's absence, joined the team's offseason conditioning program on Wednesday after staying away because of an impasse on contract talks.
The Bills would like to sign a proven veteran to back up Jackson. They brought in several candidates, but no deal was made.
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