The Seattle Seahawks will start the 2019 campaign without a key piece of their defensive line.
Defensive lineman Jarran Reed has been suspended six games for a violation of the personal conduct policy for an incident from early 2017, the league announced Monday. He was not charged or arrested.
Reed's appeal was denied Friday morning, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Reed posted the following statement Monday on Twitter:
Reed underwent sports-hernia surgery in April, an issue he dealt with during the 2018 season while putting up impressive numbers, and appeared on track to be ready for training camp. His availability for the regular-season, however, has been put on hold.
The suspension is a brutal blow to the Seahawks, who were expecting a big season from Reed. The 26-year-old is coming off a breakout campaign in 2018 in which he compiled 10.5 sacks and 50 tackles in 16 regular-season starts.
The 2016 second-round pick enters the final year of his rookie deal and was a candidate for an extension. Whether the suspension alters those plans remains to be seen.
After the trade of Frank Clark this offseason, the Seahawks appeared poised to lean on Reed and rising stud Poona Ford on the interior to push the pocket while manufacturing pressure from the outside with youngsters like first-round pick L.J. Collier. Those plots are on hold for at least six games now.
