GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Letroy Guion will start the 2017 season just like he did in 2015 -- on the NFL's suspended list.
The NFL announced Tuesday that the Green Bay Packers defensive tackle will miss the first four games of this upcoming season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Guion was suspended the first three games of 2015 because he violated the substance-abuse policy. However, this doesn't necessarily mean the Packers will move on from the veteran. According to a source, Guion and the team have agreed to restructure the remaining two years left on the three-year, $11.25 million contract. Guion had separate roster bonuses of $400,000 due later this week and on May 2, but it's likely those have been delayed until after the suspension.
Guion was arrested in February 2015 for possession of marijuana in his hometown of Starke, Florida, and paid a $5,000 fine as part of a plea agreement. After serving the three-game suspension to start that season, Guion played in all remaining regular-season games, plus both of Green Bay's playoff games. He played in all but one game last season and recorded 30 tackles, playing most on obvious run downs. He's only missed one game due to injury in three years with the Packers.
Guion is allowed to participate in all offseason activities and play in the preseason. He's the second Packers defensive lineman to be suspended in the past three months. Mike Pennel was suspended for the last four games of the regular season for violating the substance-abuse policy. Pennel, who also was suspended for the first four games of last season, was released during the playoffs.
This opens the door for an even larger role for Kenny Clark, the Packers' first-round draft pick last season.