Ex-Bears Defender Suspended 6 Games by NFL

Without much for Chicago Bears fans to focus on until training camp begins, it's always fun to check in and see how some of the team's former players are doing. Unfortunately, the latest ex-Bears news reveals that one former Chicago defender has landed himself in hot water.

Bears News: NFL Suspends Tashaun Gipson for 6 Games

On July 2, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that former Bears safety and current free agent Tashaun Gipson Sr. has been suspended six games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy.

It'll be interesting to see if Gipson's suspension hurts his prospects of signing with another NFL team. The 33-year-old free agent spent the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and is now forced to stay on the sidelines of any team he potentially joins until Week 7 at the earliest.

Bears fans will remember Gipson after he signed back-to-back one-year deals with the franchise in 2020 and 2021. He played 28 games with Chicago during that stretch, resulting in 81 solo tackles, 10 broken-up passes, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a sack.

A former Pro Bowler, Gipson has been a starting-caliber player throughout his 12-year NFL career. Although he doesn't have the individual accolades that some of his peers have, he's still racked up 492 solo tackles, 33 INTs, 68 defended passes, and three Pick-6s across 173 games that were played under five different franchises.

Even though his suspension is a dark spot on his career, Gipson will likely be fine if he stays in shape. Super Bowl contenders are always looking to flesh out their roster as the season deepens, so it wouldn't be shocking if some teams attempt to sign him to a cheap deal to help with a playoff push once his suspension is up.

More Bears news and rumors: