New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Maye has been suspended for the next three games of the 2023 regular season due to a violation of the league's substances of abuse policy, the NFL announced in a statement Wednesday.
Maye will be eligible to return to the team following its Week 5 matchup against the New England Patriots.
The suspension was a result of Maye reaching a settlement in a 2021 DUI case. He was originally arrested in February 2021 on suspicion of driving under the influence after being involved in a car crash in Florida.
The potential for a suspension has been hanging over Maye for the last two seasons as a result, but the NFL only acted once the criminal case was settled.
Maye is in his second season with the Saints after signing a three-year, $22.5 million contract in March 2022. He missed seven games last season due to injuries and will miss three more this season with the suspension.
New Orleans knew the suspension would be coming at some point but signed him to a deal that guaranteed his 2023 roster bonus regardless. It's unlikely this situation has any bearing on Maye's standing in the starting lineup once he's eligible for activation.
J.T. Gray is likely to start in Maye's place for the next three weeks.
The Saints are already dealing with a suspension of running back Alvin Kamara, who will miss his third straight game this week after being suspended by the NFL after reaching a plea deal in an assault case.
