BREAKING: Commanders DE Shaka Toney Suspended for Gambling

Shaka Toney played 16 games for the Washington Commanders last season. But now he faces an NFL gambling suspension.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 21, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders will be without defensive end Shaka Toney for the 2023 season.

According to NFL Network, Toney, along with Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus and defensive back CJ Moore, are suspended indefinitely and for at least one year.

Following the suspension, Cephus and Moore were released by the Lions ... and there is a chance Toney could suffer the same fate.

Also suspended were Lions wide receivers Stanley Berryhill IV and Jameson Williams, but each player only received a six-game suspension that will be served at the beginning of the 2023 campaign.

These punishments are the first that violate the league's gambling policy since Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season.

For the Commanders, losing Toney is a knock to the defensive line depth. He played in 16 games last season for Washington, mostly on special teams, recording eight tackles.

However, the team still has plenty of depth it can count on with Toney out. Chase Young and Montez Sweat will lead the way, and James Smith-Williams, Casey Toohill and William Bradley-King can back them up. With the NFL Draft coming up in a week, Toney's suspension could behoove the Commanders to spend at least one pick on the defensive line.

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Published Apr 21, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.