Rokevious Watkins, a reserve offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs, was suspended without pay for the first four games of the season by the NFL for violation of its substance-abuse policy.
Watkins may participate in training camp and preseason games. The suspension would begin the week of the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium. He would be eligible to return after the Chiefs' Sept. 29 Monday night game against the New England Patriots, also at Arrowhead.
Watkins is competing for a backup spot with the Chiefs. He played in three games for the Chiefs last season, starting one. The Chiefs lost three of last season's offensive linemen to free agency but they also signed free-agent Jeff Linkenbach and drafted Zach Fulton and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
