The NFL has reinstated five players who were suspended indefinitely last year for violating the gambling policy, a league source confirmed Thursday.
- Washington Commanders defensive lineman Shaka Toney
- Free agent wide receiver Quintez Cephus
- Free agent safety C.J. Moore
- Free agent defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor
- Free agent linebacker Rashod Berry
The only player on the reinstatement list to still be on a team’s roster is Toney, who is now eligible to participate fully with Washington.
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The Detroit Lions released Moore, Cephus and Taylor after the league’s April announcement. Berry received his suspension in June, and the Indianapolis Colts cut the defender shortly afterward. These four players are free to sign with teams.
This news comes on the heels of the NBA issuing a lifetime suspension for Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for what the league termed “a cardinal sin” of betting on the league’s games and sharing inside information.
The Lions were at the forefront of this news a year ago, with several players — including WR Jameson Williams — suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy. Williams received a six-game suspension that was later reduced to four and remains on the roster.
Cephus, a 2020 fifth-round pick, had work to do to make the roster well before his suspension. He’d been in and out of the lineup with injuries and was viewed as a player on the roster bubble heading into the 2023 season. The Lions released him following the news. Taylor made the roster out of training camp as an undrafted free agent, and the coaching staff liked his upside as an interior pass rusher. However, he didn’t make much noise as a rookie and was later waived.
Moore was the most secure of the three, as a key special teams contributor and a player who earned the trust of the staff. He had signed a 2-year, $4.5 million contract prior to his suspension, but the team quickly released him after the news broke.
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(Photo: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)
