Broncos' D.J. Williams suspended 3 additional games by NFL

The Broncos linebacker will be suspended for an additional three games following a conviction on a drunk driving charge in August.

D.J. Williams Suspension Upheld By Appeals Court

The six-game suspension faced by Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams was upheld by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, the court announced in a ruling released Monday night.

In the ruling, the court explains that "a court's role in these types of arbitration cases is simply to determine whether the arbitrator strayed from the collective-bargaining agreement and 'effectively dispense[d] his own brand of industrial justice.'"

Williams will now serve a six-game suspension after failed drug tests in both August and September in which the urine samples he provided drug testers showed no traces of naturally produced testosterone, leading the NFL to believe that the samples were not those of a human.

During a November test, the drug tester claimed that Williams turned away from him at one point and a bottle fell to the floor which Williams quickly kicked out of the way. When asked to retrieve the bottle, Williams returned with a different bottle in hand.

After a Week 7 bye, Williams should return to the Broncos lineup on Week 8 to face the New Orleans Saints.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Virgil Green's Suspension Remains At 4 Games

UPDATE: The Denver Post's report of Virgil Green's suspension reduced to three games was erroneous. It is still four games.

Denver Broncos second-year tight end Virgil Green has had his suspension reduced from four games to three games nearly five months after it had been handed out, reports the Denver Post. Green's suspension was handed down along with the six-game suspensions for defensive tackle Ryan McBean and linebacker D.J. Williams. McBean and Williams -- only the latter is still with the team -- were suspended under the substance abuse policy.

Green came out shortly after the suspension news hit to admit to having taken ADHD medication that the NFL had not given the okay for him to use. He subsequently received that permission, but the damage was already done.

Joel Dreessen and Jacob Tamme are projected to be the top two tight ends while Green is competing with Julius Thomas, also in his second year, and Cornelius Ingram for a spot on the roster. In 2011, Green suited up for 15 games, but he had just three receptions for 24 yards.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

D.J. Williams Suspension Update: Broncos LB Allegedly Failed Second Drug Test

D.J. Williams' court motion to overturn his six-game suspension by the NFL for use of illegal substances was denied by a federal judge last month, and now we know why. According to John Ingold of the Denver Post, court documents filed during the case allege that Williams flunked a second test a month after the initial failed test, and was also involved in an incident during a third test where a bottle fell from his waist.

Williams and his attorney didn't explicitly deny that Williams failed the second test, but questioned why the NFL didn't explore disciplinary action against Williams. They did, though, deny the alleged bottle incident. Barring something close to a miracle for the Williams side, the Denver linebacker will miss the following games: vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, at the Atlanta Falcons, vs. the Houston Texans, vs. the Oakland Raiders, at the New England Patriots and at the San Diego Chargers.

The Broncos have their bye week in Week 7, so Williams will return in Week 8 when Denver hosts the New Orleans Saints.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Denver Broncos News: D.J. Williams Appeals Judge's Decision To Dismiss His Lawsuit Against The NFL

D.J. Williams is facing a six-game suspension for a violation of the NFL's performance enhancing drug policy, but he has been fighting the ruling. Williams filed a lawsuit against the league claiming that the collector of his drug test sample made "chain-of-custody mistakes," but that suit was thrown out by a judge. Williams appealed that decision on Friday.

Williams filed an appeal Friday to the U.S. District Court, District of Colorado's decision to dismiss his lawsuit against the league. His lawsuit was dismissed Thursday by Judge Christine Arguello.

Absent an appeal, Williams would have to begin the 2012 season by serving a six-game suspension for violating the league's performance enhancing drug policy.

Related: The Broncos and the 2012 NFL Rookie Symposium

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

D.J. Williams Drug Suspension: Broncos LB Won't Seek Settlement In Lawsuit Against NFL, According To Report

Former Denver Broncos defensive tackle Ryan McBean -- who received a six-game suspension for violating the league's ban on performance-enhancing drugs along with former teammates D.J. Williams and Virgil Green -- settled his lawsuit with the league, signed with the Baltimore Ravens and had his suspension reduced to three games. Current Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams has no plans to seek a similar settlement agreement with the NFL, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.

Williams disputes claims by the NFL that he substituted a "non-human specimen" in a urine test, and after having his appeal denied he filed a lawsuit in which he alleges that NFL officials "ignored fatal issues concerning the collection process, safeguarding of the urine specimens and chain of custody." Back in March, Williams declared he would be "vigorously pursuing" his rights through the judicial process.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Ryan McBean Drug Suspension Reduced To 3 Games In Lawsuit Settlement

On Monday, former Denver Broncos defensive tackle Ryan McBean -- who has his free agent tender offer rescinded by the team due to a six-game suspension for violating the league's ban on performance-enhancing drugs hanging over his head -- signed with the Baltimore Ravens. On Tuesday, McBean's suspension was reduced to three games after he settled his lawsuit with the NFL that had alleged the league improperly handled the testing process, according to Mike Klis and Lindsay H. Jones of the Denver Post.

McBean was a fourth round pick in 2007 by the Pittsburgh Steelers who found his way to the Broncos after being cut in 2008, and hestarted 46 games for Denver since that time. Denver made plans to replace McBean during the offseason, as they signed Justin Bannan and drafted Derek Wolfe.

Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams has not settled his companion lawsuit with the NFL, in which he disputes claims by the NFL that he substituted a "non-human specimen" in a urine test. In the lawsuit, Williams alleges that NFL officials "ignored fatal issues concerning the collection process, safeguarding of the urine specimens and chain of custody."

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Ryan McBean Signs With Ravens After Release From Broncos

Defensive tackle Ryan McBean had signed with the Baltimore Ravens just a few weeks after the Denver Broncos rescinded its restricted free agent tender on him.

#Ravens announced they signed former Broncos DT Ryan McBean.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 7, 2012

McBean will miss the first six games of the regular season following his suspension for a failed drug test while a member of the Denver Broncos. Then-teammates D.J. Williams and Virgil Green were also suspended for failed drug tests at the same time as McBean. McBean and Williams are appealing the rulings.

The Broncos didn't want to wait for the results of that appeal and decided remove its tender offer on McBean back in the middle of April. The team went out and signed Justin Bannan and drafted Derek Wolfe.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Ryan McBean Suspension: Broncos To Release DT Ryan McBean

Denver Broncos defensive tackle Ryan McBean was on the field for 58% of the team's snaps in 2011, but that apparently wasn't enough to overcome his six game suspension for violating the league's ban on performance-enhancing drugs. According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, the Broncos are set to release McBean on Monday.

D.J. Williams, Ryan McBean File Lawsuit To Vacate NFL Drug Suspensions

D.J. Williams and Ryan McBean of the Denver Broncos received six-game suspension without pay last Friday for allegedly violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. In his official statement, Williams disputed the NFL's claim that he substituted a "non-human specimen" in a urine test, and after the league denied his appeal, Williams and McBean have officially filed suit in a Denver District Court to vacate the league's ruling.

Through the league's collective bargaining agreement the arbitration decision in a suspension is typically binding, but in this case the players are alleging that the arbiter was not an impartial party and that he improperly exceeded his powers (a very difficult standard to meet). This bit of additional information comes from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Specifically, they argue (among other things) that Henderson "ignored fatal issues concerning the collection process, safeguarding of the urine specimens and chain of custody," engaged in private communications with the NFL about the case, delayed the ruling at the direction of the NFL, and failed to issue a decision within five days after the hearing.

They seek not only a reversal of the suspensions but a preliminary injunction preventing the suspensions from being implemented while the case is pending.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Virgil Green Suspension: Broncos TE Says ADHD Medicine Responsible For Punishment From NFL

On Friday afternoon, the NFL announced that three Denver Broncos players -- LB D.J. Williams, DL Ryan McBean and TE Virgil Green -- would serve suspensions for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Williams and McBean have been suspended for six games, while Green will have to sit out four games.

Related: D.J. Williams Drug Suspension: 'We Will Be Vigorously Pursuing My Rights In The Judicial System'

The league did not supply any specifics regarding the nature of the abuses in question, but later in the afternoon, Green took to Twitter to explain his particular situation.

I was suspended for taking ADHD medication prior to approval from NFL. I have now been approved to take the medication to treat my ADHD.

— Virgil Green (@VGreen85) March 10, 2012

I apologize to my teammates, the Bronco Organization and my family and friends. Thank you guys for all your support.

— Virgil Green (@VGreen85) March 10, 2012

Williams and McBean are expected to use legal action to fight their suspensions; no word yet whether or not Green plans to do the same.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

D.J. Williams Drug Suspension: 'We Will Be Vigorously Pursuing My Rights In The Judicial System'

Linebacker D.J. Williams was one of a three-pack of Denver Broncos players suspended on Friday afternoon for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Williams just issued a statement vehemently denying the allegations and promising legal action against the NFL.

"I understand from media reports today that the NFL has announced a suspension based on a specimen that the NFL acknowledges did not contain steroids or any illegal substance," Williams says in a statement forwarded to PFT by his lawyer, Peter Ginsber. "Instead, the NFL contends that I provided a non-human specimen. I have never failed a test of any kind – for steroids or illegal substances – during my eight-year pro career. I am proud of my record and proud of the way in which I conduct myself as a professional athlete and citizen. We proved — conclusively — at the NFL hearing on this matter that the NFL and its specimen collector wholly failed in their duties to safeguard and process my specimen properly. In fact, the specimen collector was fired by the NFL after compromising my specimen as well as others’.

Williams' statement ends like this: "We will be vigorously pursuing my rights in the judicial system. My suspension is unjust; the NFL has undermined and corrupted its own steroid policy."

Williams and defensive tackle Ryan McBean are each facing a six-game suspension. Tight end Virgil Green has been suspended for four games.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

D.J. Williams, Ryan McBean And Virgil Green Suspended Following Failed Drug Tests, According To Report

Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams and defensive tackle Ryan McBean were each suspended six games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Tight end Virgil Green was also suspended four games for violating the policy.