A ruling on the StarCaps appeal was released Friday, according to a report on ProFootballTalk.com. As a result, Saints defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith will reportedly be suspended for testing positive for a prescription diuretic - which is also a banned substance - which secretly had been added to an over-the-counter weight-loss supplement known as StarCaps.
Grant and Smith could begin serving those suspensions as early as Week 2, when New Orleans is scheduled to visit Philadelphia. However, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed Saturday that the league has not said that the Saints' suspensions will take effect next week.
"We will make announcements next week as appropriate," Aiello said.
Look for the official word to come down by Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the PFT report notes that there has been talk that the league might allow the Saints to implement the suspensions consecutively, so that the team is not without both players for four games. Instead, they would be missing one of them for eight games.
Offensively, the Saints will be without Pro Bowl left tackle Jammal Brown, who underwent hip surgery on Thursday.
-- Posted by Bob Kent, 2:46 p.m., September 11; Updated 6:39 a.m., September 13
