Rookie Eddie Goldman should fill in while Ratliff is suspended. They spent their No. 2 pick in 2014 on a nose tackle, Ego Ferguson, albeit for a 4-3 scheme.
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Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff has been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the 2015 regular season for violating the league’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.
Ratliff will miss games against the Packers, Cardinals and Seahawks.
Defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff will miss the Bears’ first three games. Bears coach John Fox is scheduled to meet with the media around 1:15 p.m. Monday after practice ends. “We’ll always be looking to improve the roster but for the short term I think we’ll do it from within”.
Ratliff has excelled with the Bears however now he will have to deal with playing catch up with the rest of his teammates.
“I had experience a year ago where we lost a guy the week of a game (to suspension)”, Fox said. He will be allowed to play in preseason games and practice with the team until the start of the regular season, but will only be permitted to attend team meetings once the suspension goes into effect.
“Just move on”, Ratliff said of his reaction to the situation.
Ratliff pleaded guilty in April to driving while intoxicated and was ordered to serve a year of probation, pay a $750 fine and submit to sobriety tests whenever asked by law enforcement during traffic stops, according to a ruling from a Texas judge, per the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
“There’s a lot of things I could be doing to help myself, help the team”, Ratliff said. “This is probably, what, two, three years ago?” That’s all behind me. “This is the result of it, and just moving forward from here”.
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It’s not yet known if Ratliff will appeal the suspension.
