Houston Texans defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. has been suspended four games without pay for violating the NFL Substance of Abuse Policy, per NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Edwards will be eligible for reinstatement on November 11th, which would allow him to return for the Texans' Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. It's an unfortunate incident for the 10-year NFL veteran, who was enjoying one of the best starts to a season of his career.
The Texans signed Edwards to a one-year deal during the offseason. Throughout the first six weeks of 2024, he recorded 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and two sacks. He was dominant this past week against the New England Patriots, racking up eight tackles.
Edwards has started every game this season, filling in for defensive end Denico Autry, who served a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing substances. With Autry now back in the fold, it weakens the blow of losing Edwards, although having him for depth would be nice.
Autry will finally be making his Texans debut after signing a two-year, $20 million contract with the team back in March. He posted a career-high 11.5 sacks last season with the Tennessee Titans. Autry is a well-rounded player who can play anywhere along with defensive line and make an impact against both the run and pass.
When Edwards returns, Houston's defensive line will be deeper and even more dangerous. He shouldn't have any problem picking up where he left off and will give the Texans a boost down the home stretch of the season. As for off the field, this is Edwards' second suspension for substance abuse, so he will need to be careful or he'll face steeper consequences if it happens again.
