Report: Cam Robinson suspended to start 2023 season for PED policy violation

Jacksonville Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson has been suspended for the start of the 2023 season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, according to John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. The suspension is for an undisclosed number of games. It’s a massive blow for the start of the Jaguars’ 2023 campaign, as they had high expectations coming off their exciting 2022 campaign. Jacksonville finished with a 9-8 overall record last year, and they battled valiantly in their 27-20 playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round.

The Jaguars also feature three of the games exciting young stars in quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne, and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The news about Robinson certainly puts a dampener on things for their 2023 campaign. We’ll have to see how long the suspension is sometime in the next few days.

The former Alabama star has appeared in 75 games during his six-year career in the National Football League. Robinson was drafted No. 34 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, after playing his college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Last year, Robinson started in 14 games at left tackle, with 2022 second-round left tackle Walker Little taking the other five starts for the Jaguars.

Robinson tore his meniscus in December last season, which pushed Little into the lineup for the final three weeks of the regular season and both of the Jaguars’ playoff games. During a recent press conference, Jaguars GM Trent Baalke said the franchise expected to have him healthy when the team gets to training camp.

During his time in Tuscaloosa with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Robinson started every game at left tackle (43 games). He racked up numerous accolades during his time there. Robinson became one of the team’s three unanimous All-American selections in 2016.

He also won the Outland Trophy in 2016, his junior season with the Crimson Tide. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder also won the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the second won that Alabama brought home in two years. He racked up a team-high 37 knockdown blocks in 15 games during his junior campaign.

As a freshman for Alabama, he earned freshman All-American honors after finishing with 32 knockdown blocks. He also only allowed three sacks during 861 snaps.

Coming out of high school, Robinson was one of the most highly regarded prospects in the country in the 2014 cycle. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, he was rated as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation and a five-star recruit. He played in the Under Armour All-American Game and he also participated in Nike’s “The Opening”, one of the nation’s premiere high school football camps. Robinson earned scholarship offers from just about every program in the country, choosing Alabama over LSU, Michigan, Auburn, and Arkansas.