LB Burfict reportedly suspended again, this time for PED violation

It appears Vontaze Burfict finds himself in familiar territory. In trouble with the NFL.

And this time, it could reportedly cost him his contract.

The oft-fined, twice-suspended Cincinnati Bengals linebacker is reportedly facing a four-game suspension for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted that such a suspension (which would occur in the first four games of next season) would void his three-year, $33 million contract and allow the Bengals to walk away scot-free.

According to a report Friday by ESPN's Adam Schefter -- the first to report the news -- Burfict will appeal the decision and claim that at the time of the failed test, he was on prescription medication after suffering a concussion on a hit by Pittsburgh wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in early December and a sprained AC joint in his shoulder three weeks later.

According to Schefter, since the test in question happened on Dec. 27 and after Burfict was already ruled out for the season, the 27-year-old will argue he could not have taken a substance with the aim of enhancing his performance when he wasn't even playing.

Burfict has twice before been suspended, though both of those stemmed from illegal hits and repeated violations of safety rules. According to ESPN, he has also paid more than $300,000 in fines -- 11 total -- in his career.

--Field Level Media