NFL suspends one-time Super Bowl champion

If Damien Wilson hopes to play in the NFL this season, he’ll have to wait until November to catch on with a team. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the free-agent linebacker has been suspended for the next four weeks after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Wilson was a part-time player in Dallas to begin his career, but he earned a starting role after joining the Chiefs in 2019. The linebacker ultimately spent two seasons in Kansas City, collecting 154 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 29 starts. Wilson also started all six of his playoff appearances, and he picked up 19 tackles during the team’s run to a Super Bowl LIV win.

He caught on with the Jaguars for the 2021 campaign and proceeded to have a career year, collecting 106 tackles and three sacks in 17 games. That performance earned him a two-year, $6.9M contract from the Panthers last offseason. Wilson made headlines soon after signing with the team, getting arrested on an assault charge.

After starting five of the Panthers’ first seven games, Wilson only saw the field for four defensive snaps from Week 9 through the end of the season. The team moved on from the 30-year-old back in March, saving the organization more than $3M in cap space. The veteran hasn’t had any reported visits during the offseason, and this suspension won’t help his chances of catching on with a team in 2023.