Former Detroit Lions CB Cameron Sutton receives big suspension

A report from NFL Network surfaced on Monday that former Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton has been suspended for the first eight games of the 2024 season without pay due to a violation of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. This offseason, Sutton was involved in a dispute that originally resulted in a felony domestic battery by strangulation charge that was later downgraded to a misdemeanor. According to Adam Schefter, Sutton does not appeal this suspension. It is final.

Unbeknownst to the Lions, there was a warrant out of Sutton’s arrest for nearly a month, and after the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office went public with the warrant—while Sutton was at the Lions facility at the time—Detroit released Sutton a day later.

“We were able to reach Cam and talked about it and suggested he get counsel and do the right thing to turn himself in,” team president Rod Wood said. “After that, we met the rest of the day and the following morning to decide to release him.”

Sutton would turn himself in later and agree to enter a Domestic Violence Intervention Program to avoid prosecution.

Sutton has since signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers—the original team that drafted him—on a one-year deal. But now he will be forced to miss the first half of the 2024 season.

Last year, Sutton was the Lions’ No. 1 cornerback on their defense, starting all 17 games for Detroit. But this offseason, the Lions made a ton of moves to fortify the position, including trading for Carlton Davis, signing Amik Roberts, and drafting both Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

It’s unclear how this impacts Sutton’s financial commitment to the Lions. Last we heard, Sutton was planning on filing a grievance to get some of his guaranteed $10.5 million back from Detroit, which was voided by the team upon his release in March.

Update:

Sutton is not appealing the suspensionby Adam Schefter.