NFL suspends Seahawks DE Damontre Moore 6 games for performance-enhancing drugs violation
The depth of the Seahawks’ pass rush has taken another hit.
The team announced Monday the NFL has suspended reserve defensive end Damontre Moore six games without pay for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
The statement said Moore will be eligible to return to the active roster Monday, Dec. 14, following Seattle’s game in Week 14 against the New York Jets.
Moore played 22 of 70 defensive snaps. He had two tackles, one of the Seahawks eight hits on the quarterback and a tackle for loss Sunday in Seattle’s home win over San Francisco. He left the game injured in the fourth quarter, after being down well behind a play and then getting helped off by trainers to the sideline.
He has played that same 31% of snaps this season on defense.
The Seahawks signed the 28-year-old Moore Sept. 3. He’s played in 63 games in the NFL since 2013, including four for Seattle in 2017. He’s also played for the New York Giants, Miami, Dallas, Oakland and last season San Francisco.
In 2017 the NFL suspended Moore for two games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He ended up playing in three games that year for the Cowboys.
Coach Pete Carroll had said he noticed a more mature, serious, self-assured and professional Moore in this his second go-round with the Seahawks.
Seattle lost edge rusher Bruce Irvin to season-ending knee surgery in September. Top rookie pass rusher Darrell Taylor, the team’s second-round draft pick, has yet to practice or play since surgery in January to fix a leg stress fracture. Benson Mayowa, the Seahawks’ co-leader in sacks with two, missed Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.
Seattle has been so thin at defensive end its coaches have converted rookie tight end Stephen Sullivan to defensive end to rush in passing situations. The seventh-round draft pick made his NFL debut against the 49ers, playing 22 snaps at his new position.
The Seahawks traded last week with Cincinnati to acquire two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Carlos Dunlap. He is expected to make his Seattle debut on Sunday in the team’s game at Buffalo.
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 1:05 PM.
