The NFL suspended Houston Texans defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. for four games without pay for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, the NFL announced on Monday.
Edwards, who signed as a free agent with the Texans in March, has started all six games for Houston (5-1) and has 18 tackles, two sacks, five quarterback hits and one fumble recovery.
The 30-year-old will miss games at Green Bay on Sunday, against Indianapolis on Oct. 27, at the New York Jets on Oct. 31 and at home against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 10. He will be eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11.
The Oakland Raiders selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He has 174 career tackles with 30 tackles for loss, 57 QB hits, 23.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 120 games (39 starts) for the Raiders (2015-17), New York Giants (2018), New Orleans Saints (2019), Chicago Bears (2020-21), Tennessee Titans (2022), Seattle Seahawks (2023) and Texans.
Edwards’ suspension begins as Texans defensive end Denico Autry completed his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy against the use of performance enhancing drugs.
Autry, 34, who signed a two-year deal worth $20 million with the Texans in March, released a statement following the July 29 suspension. He asserted that he took a medication that, unbeknownst to him, contained a banned substance.
Autry had a career-best 11.5 sacks last season for the Titans and also had a career-high 50 tackles in 17 games (14 starts). In 142 games (89 starts) over 10 seasons with the Raiders (2014-17), Colts (2018-20) and Titans, he has 59 sacks and 310 tackles.