Earl Watford

Cardinals OT Bobby Massie facing 3-game suspension

Published Aug. 11, 2015 4:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- A person with knowledge of the situation says Arizona Cardinals starting right tackle Bobby Massie has been suspended for three games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

The person, who asked not to be identified because the suspension has not been officially announced, says the suspension has been appealed.

Massie, entering his fourth season in the NFL, started every game at right tackle for Arizona last season. He was listed as first-team right tackle on the Cardinals depth chart released on Monday, backed up by first-round draft pick D.J. Humphries.

Bradley Sowell is listed as the backup to Jared Veldheer at left tackle, and guard Earl Watford could also get a chance to audition at tackle.

Massie is in the final year of his contract. According to NFL.com's Ian Rapaport, the suspension is the result of an incident from Super Bowl week, when Massie was reportedly arrested for being intoxicated and asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle.

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."

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians suggested Tuesday that Humphries is very much a work in progress in his first NFL training camp.

Humphries played left tackle at Florida but, with Jared Veldheer firmly entrenched on the left side, the Cardinals moved the rookie to right tackle.

Despite his criticism, Arians said Humpries 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."

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.

Cardinals inside linebacker Darryl Washington was suspended all of last season for violating the league substance abuse policy and has yet to be reinstated.

Get more from Earl Watford Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

National Football League