News: BTB: Josh Brent Expected To Return After Four Game Suspension

[NewsBot]

After retiring from football following the drunk driving accident that claimed the life of his best friend and teammate Jerry Brown, Jr., Josh Brent is awaiting word on what punishment the league will hand down before he can return to the game. That news could come on Friday.

We have debated the issue multiple times here at Blogging The Boys, and it is not my intent to rehash those discussions. Josh Brent has asked the NFL Commissioner for reinstatement to the game and the Dallas Cowboys are willing to re-sign the defensive lineman if Roger Goodell allows him to rejoin the league. Now NFL.com is indicating that the league will grant Brent's request. He will have to do a form of penance before taking the field, however.

Brent will likely face a suspension as a direct result of a reported positive test for marijuana in May of 2013, when he was under court supervision while awaiting trial.
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The four game suspension falls exactly in line with the league's written policy (which may be viewed here) for first time substance abuse offenders, so it would appear that the league is willing to consider the time that Brent was "retired" and awaiting trial on charges of intoxication manslaughter as being the same as the suspension Donte Stallworth served during the 2009 season after his DUI manslaughter conviction.

For the Cowboys this will be seen as good news. The defensive line is a point of concern and the addition of another experienced player can only help the unit. Team owner Jerry Jones thinks that the experience that Brent went through will benefit both the player and the team in ways other than just on the field.

"When you have someone next door to you that grabs your plate of food and you weigh 340 pounds but you don't mess with him -- he just looks at you, because you know that guy doesn't care if you live or die -- that's a life experience. I think there's a chance that Josh Brent may come out here and have a perspective that none of us have seen before, especially from Josh." - Jerry Jones
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Josh Brent appears to be getting a second chance at something that most never get a chance to experience, a National Football League career. He better not waste the opportunity he appears to have been given.

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