KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs are expected to be without their starting right cornerback for games against Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson during the first month of the NFL season.
Bashaud Breeland, 28, faces a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Chiefs’ starting right cornerback Bashaud Breeland is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL policy of substances of abuse, per source.
Breeland expected to miss games against Texans, Chargers, Ravens and Patriots.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 19, 2020
On Wednesday afternoon, Breeland posted a public apology on his Instagram page, saying that he accepts "full responsibility for my actions, and I look forward to getting back on the field with my teammates to defend our Super Bowl Title."
Breeland is entering his seventh season in the NFL and second with the Chiefs.
He started 15 of 16 games for the Super Bowl LIV champions last season and recorded 48 tackles, including solo stops, with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Breeland played his first four seasons in the league with Washington and joined Green Bay before the 2018 season.
He is expected to miss Kansas City’s season opener Sept. 10 against the Watson-led Houston Texans, an AFC West clash Sept. 20 at the Los Angeles Chargers, a Monday Night Football showdown Sept. 28 with the Jackson-led Ravens in Baltimore and an Oct. 4 battle with New England at Arrowhead Stadium.
Without Breeland available opposite fellow starting corner Charvarius Ward, the Chiefs are very young and very inexperienced at the position.
Rashad Fenton, a second-year player drafted in the sixth round in 2019 from South Carolina, appeared in 12 games last season and Kansas City signed Antonio Hamilton, a fifth-year pro out of South Carolina State, during the offseason. he primarily played special teams the last two seasons with the New York Giants.
The rest of the Chiefs' depth chart is filled with rookies, including 2020 NFL Draft picks L'Jarius Sneed and BoPete Keyes, along with undrafted free agent Lavert Hill.
Breeland would be eligible to return for the Oct. 11 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
