Giants' Owa Odighizuwa suspended for violating NFL's drug policy

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. --New York Giants defensive end Owa Odighizuwa has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, the league announced Monday.

Odighizuwa will be eligible to return Oct. 2.

This is the latest news in a bizarre year for the 2015 third-round pick. Odighizuwa said on Twitter in April that he needed some time away from the game. He was at the Giants facility for the start of the team's offseason workout program, but then missed most of the spring as he dealt with personal issues.

The Giants excused Odighizuwa from mandatory minicamp in June. He arrived for the start of training camp on July 27 but has declined all interview requests.

Odighizuwa, 25, has played in only 18 games and is still in search of his first career sack. His first two professional seasons had been injury-plagued.

It was hardly a guarantee that Odighizuwa would make the Giants' final roster this year. He has spent most of this summer working with the third-team defense.

"He's fighting and battling to catch up," coach Ben McAdoo said several weeks back. "He has a ways to go; he's not where he wants to be just yet, but that doesn't mean he can't get there."

The Giants could potentially move Odighizuwa onto an exempt list when the season begins and re-evaluate his standing when he's reinstated.