NFL reinstates pair of former Alabama standouts from suspensions

Two former Alabama stars are now able to find new NFL teams should the opportunity arise.

On Tuesday, the NFL reinstated Ryan Anderson and D.J. Fluker after the two were suspended and subsequently released this summer. They are currently free agents and are now permitted to sign with other teams.

On Aug. 28, the New York Giants announced Anderson was suspended for violating the NFL’s Policy and Program on Performance-Enhancing Substances. They released him three days later. 

Fluker was placed on IR by the Miami Dolphins on July 29 and cut four days later with an injury settlement after undergoing meniscus surgery. Fluker was not a member of a team when suspended, so there was not a formal announcement about the reason for his suspension.

The Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly signing Fluker pending his physical, per Dov Kleiman. It is unclear whether the intention is to add him to the active roster or the practice squad.

Las Vegas has had offensive line issues all season due to injuries and young player adjustments. Rookie and fellow former Alabama lineman Alex Leatherwood is getting his first starts of his career, and center Andre James is a first-year starter at center. Two injuries at guard prompted the shakeups: Richie Incognito is on IR with a quad injury, and Denzelle Good is out for the season with a knee injury.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated five additional players on Tuesday.

The two Tide stars won a combined four national titles in Tuscaloosa

Anderson was a four-year player for the Crimson Tide, amassing 128 tackles, 39.5 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, six forced fumbles and an interception. The Alabama native was a member of the 2015 national championship team for head coach Nick Saban. 

Washington selected Anderson in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He did not get a start for Washington until 2019, but a few weeks later he had a two-sack, three-forced fumble performance against the Philadelphia Eagles. Anderson signed a one-year deal with New York in March 2021 before violating the NFL substance policy. 

Fluker, an offensive tackle born in New Orleans whose family fled to Alabama after Hurricane Katrina, was the 11th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. While at Alabama, he was a member of three teams that won the national championship: 2009, 2011 and 2012. In 2011 and 2012, Fluker started all 13 games for Alabama. In his last year, the rushing attack averaged 5.6 yards per carry, which was sixth in the country. That season, Fluker allowed just four sacks in 267 attempts. He was a second-team AP All-American and first-team all-SEC lineman.

 The 6-foot-5, 350-pound tackle was taken in the draft by the then-San Diego Chargers and spent time with the New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens before signing with Miami in April. He started at least six games for the Chargers, Giants and Seahawks.