Turns out, Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith would have missed the team's final four regular-season games regardless of his season-ending Achilles injury.
Smith has been suspended four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances, the league announced Monday.
The Ravens were informed of Smith's suspension last week and Smith appealed. He will now reportedly withdraw that appeal since he'll be put on injured reserve and can serve the suspension while sidelined.
Thus, the reported suspension doesn't affect Smith's status this year, but it will be put on his record and a potential second suspension down the road would carry a heavier sentence. Smith will also lose his pay for the final four games.
Smith has never been previously suspended by the NFL, and his appeal signals that he may feel it was unjustified or disagrees with the punishment.
Smith went down in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions and Head Coach John Harbaugh announced after the game that he's out for the year.
Smith was playing at an All-Pro level this season with 28 tackles, three interceptions, nine passes defensed and two touchdowns. He was the league's top cover cornerback for much of the year, according to Pro Football Focus.
Now the Ravens will turn to first-round rookie cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who has played well this season and had an up-and-down game in relief of Smith against the talented Lions passing attack.
