Could Seahawks Cornerback Brandon Browner Become the NFL's Ryan Braun?

Brandon Browner is currently appealing a yearlong suspension from the NFL for a failed drug test. According to a report by Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo, the Seahawks cornerback recently declined a settlement with the league to reduce the suspension by three months, which would allow the 2014 free agent to sign with a new team next October.

There are two reasons Browner denied the deal, explains Garafolo. First, and as Jason La Confora described in depth last week, Browner landed in Stage 3 of the NFL’s substance abuse program after missing drug tests that occurred when he wasn’t even in the League. Beyond that, there might have been a procedural error during Browner’s recently-failed test:

"Browner is claiming the urine collector used a damaged cup and then poured his urine from that cup into another one. However, the source said Browner’s request to have the collector testify as part of the appeal hearings was denied, with the league’s medical director stating he spoke to the collector, who disputed Browner’s account."

This situation has some similarities to that of Ryan Braun, who won an appeal against MLB early last year when it was determined that the league’s strict urine collection procedural processes were not adhered to. The arbitrator in Browner’s case is not expected to rule for several weeks.