Brandon

Browner

The incident happened last July. Browner was accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house and forcing her back inside when she tried to escape. Now 34, Browner last played in the NFL in 2016.

The 6'4 Browner couldn’t get a jam on the Steelers’ speedy wideouts and paid the price. He gave up a touchdown to Mike Wallace, a 39-yard pass interference call and a 53-yard catch to Wallace. “He needs to grow from this,” coach Pete Carroll said. The Seahawks are going to want to hide him for their Week 3 matchup with Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals.

The 2003 first-rounder is the longest-tenured of the Seahawks. He lasted just four games in 2011 before ongoing back issues sent him to injured reserve. With Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner emerging as quality starters, it’s hard to believe the 31-year-old Trufant remains in the team’s plans.

Browner, a Pro Bowl alternate, has been flagged six times for pass interference, three times for illegal contact, and four times for defensive holding. While Browner’s stiff-hipped game has resulted in a high number of penalties, the Seahawks primarily use press coverage on defense, which benefits his physical style of play. A former CFL standout, Browner is tied for fourth in the NFL with six interceptions.

Per Schefter, Sherman and Browner are appealing the bans and “insist they are innocent.” The substance for which they were popped is unclear, but their agents claim it’s Adderall. Sherman and Browner are integral to Seattle’s defense as physical press cornerbacks who make it incredibly difficult for opposing receivers to run pass routes. Sherman is more a shutdown-caliber corner. Browner is 6-foot-4 and more of a ballhawk. We should know more by early this week.

The league wants to fast track the process, though Sherman and Browner are hoping to have the proceedings delayed. Per PFT, they are alleging “irregularities in the collection process,” a la Ryan Braun. If the appeal isn’t delayed and the bans are upheld, Seattle will lose its starting cornerback duo for its final four games, essentially torpedoing its playoff chances.

It’s a bad break for Larry Fitzgerald, not that the Cardinals quarterback could get the ball to his top receiver if Browner and Sherman were out, anyway. Sherman and Browner are facing four-game suspensions for using Adderall, and their appeals hearings have not yet been scheduled. By refusing to accept the suspensions, Browner and Sherman risk missing playoff games, if 7-5 Seattle qualifies. At the same time, Browner and Sherman could avoid the four-game bans altogether if they win the appeal.

It’s a huge blow for the Wild Card contending Seahawks, but likely a calculated one, as fellow starting CB Richard Sherman still has an appeal scheduled for December 14. Browner’s decision means the Seahawks may “only” be without their top two corners for the final three games of the regular season, and makes Browner eligible for a potential playoff game. According to Seahawks.com, Walter Thurmond III is expected to start in Browner’s absence, leaving Marcus Trufant in the slot.

Carroll isn’t backing off Browner after he got abused by Mike Wallace last week. Fitzgerald has fared well against Seattle in the past, averaging 6.2 catches for 82.7 yards with nine touchdowns in 14 games against them. But the Seahawks see the 6'4/222 Browner as the perfect defender for the 6'3/218 Fitzgerald. The problem is Browner isn’t very good, making Fitz our No. 3 WR play this week.

Sherman, who was snubbed from the Pro Bowl team, argued that the cup used for his urine specimen was contaminated because it was “leaking.” The NFL apparently agreed that the “chain of custody” was broken and the positive test for Adderall was invalid. It’s massive news for the Seahawks, who will now have their elite corner duo available for the playoffs as Brandon Browner’s four-game suspension will be up after Week 17.