Ravens CB Smith facing multi-week suspension

[August 21, 2018]    Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith is facing a multi-week suspension from the NFL because of an apparent violation of the league's personal-conduct policy, The Athletic reported Monday.

altimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (22) scores a touchdown after intercepting Miami Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore (not pictured) during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated Miami Dolphins 40-0. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Per the report, the team is bracing for a suspension to be handed down soon and Smith is appealing, having left the team over the weekend and being scheduled to meet with league officials Monday.

The report adds that Smith's exact violation is unclear, but it could be connected to a child custody case between Smith and Micaela Sanchez, the mother of his first child. A story published in November by the Baltimore Sun included details by Sanchez of alleged domestic violence and drug use by Smith, which the Ravens veteran has denied.

The news continues a tumultuous several months for Smith, considered the Ravens' No. 1 cornerback. He was in the midst of arguably his finest season in until tearing his Achilles against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 3, weeks after the Baltimore Sun report emerged, and was expected to miss up to eight months. Smith had three interceptions and 28 tackles on the year at the time of injury.

Smith was suspended by the NFL for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs the day after he was injured. He had initially appealed, but instead served the four-game ban over the final four weeks of the 2017 season while he was hurt.

Smith, who turned 30 last month, joined his Baltimore Ravens teammates on the field at mandatory minicamp in June, just more than six months after his injury and he has been a full participant at training camp.

In July, Smith spoke for the first time about his PED ban.

"Last year, I took some pre-workouts. I'm not even sure which one it is, to be honest with you," Smith said per the Ravens' website. "You have to be conscious of what you put in your body, and I should've been a lot more conscious of what pre-workouts I was putting in there, and I got popped.

"I was going to appeal it, but when I tore my Achilles, I just took it and went home."

In seven seasons with Baltimore, Smith has played in all 16 games in just two seasons (2013 and 2015), missing four-plus games in every other year. In 86 career games (68 starts), Smith has 11 career interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and 254 tackles. The Ravens chose Smith with the No. 27 selection in the first round of the NFL draft in 2011.

--Field Level Media

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