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Eagles lose Hanson, Hobbs

The Eagles' depth at cornerback disappeared when Joselio Hanson was hit with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances and Ellis Hobbs was placed on IR because of a neck injury that will require surgery.

Joselio Hanson tested positive for a diuretic after the Eagles' NFC championship loss at Arizona last season. (Ed Hille/Staff file photo)
Joselio Hanson tested positive for a diuretic after the Eagles' NFC championship loss at Arizona last season. (Ed Hille/Staff file photo)Read more

The Eagles' depth at cornerback disappeared yesterday when Joselio Hanson was hit with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances and Ellis Hobbs was placed on injured reserve because of a neck injury that will require surgery.

Coach Andy Reid said he didn't think Hobbs' injury was career-threatening.

"They think they can go in and fix it" and he'll "have an opportunity to continue his career," Reid said before practice.

The coach made no mention of Hanson, but the veteran cornerback was a no-show at practice and he had not been mentioned on Reid's injury report.

During practice, Hanson's agent Jeff Nally e-mailed a statement from attorney David Cornwell that said the cornerback had tested positive for a diuretic after the Eagles' NFC championship loss at Arizona last season.

Cornwell said Hanson felt bloated after eating Chinese food and he took a pill that turned out to be a diuretic, which is banned by the NFL because it can be used as a masking agent for steroids.

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Web site, diuretics have "the potential to rapidly dilute the urine by increasing renal flow ... which results in lower levels of the banned substance being excreted from the body."

Hanson, who will be eligible to return Dec. 13 when the Eagles play at the New York Giants, was not available for comment after practice. He told the Wilmington News Journal before practice that "I'm just going to say the NFL don't treat players the same."

His frustration is apparently related to cases involving four other NFL players who have tested positive for diuretics, but continue to play. Minnesota defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams and New Orleans Saints defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith appealed suspensions after testing positive for diuretics and have not missed a game this season.

All four players claimed they took the weight-loss supplement StarCaps, which have diuretic bumetanide. The players argued that the league knew bumetanide was in StarCaps, but failed to notify the players. They also argued that bumetanide was not listed as one of the ingredients in StarCaps.

The Vikings' players fought their suspension in a state court in Minnesota and won. The NFL is still fighting the decision, but commissioner Roger Goodell rescinded a four-game suspension against Grant and Smith before the Saints' Week 2 game against the Eagles because he didn't think it was fair to enforce a suspension with the other case still pending.

Cornwell, who also represents the players from the Vikings and Saints, discussed those cases in his statement and said he thought they would help Hanson in his appeal. Cornwell said the NFL players association has been in discussions with the league to reduce the four-game suspension for a first positive test involving diuretics.

The attorney said he asked the league to withhold a decision in Hanson's case while the discussions about the length of a suspension for first-time diuretic offenders continued, but "our appeal to fairness was rejected and Joselio was notified [Tuesday] that he is suspended for four games."

The Eagles as an organization are forbidden to comment on Hanson's suspension as part of the league's collective bargaining agreement relating to the substance abuse policy, but cornerback Sheldon Brown vehemently defended his teammate.

"This is a guy to me that does everything the right way," Brown said after practice. "I've known [Hanson] four or five seasons and this man lives life by the book. If they're making an example out of him, then that's kind of bad because it's not fair. He's sick and I'm sick for him because he's one of the genuine great guys in the National Football League and this is the crap that happens to him."

Brown said he thought it preposterous that a 5-foot-9, 185-pound cornerback would be suspected of steroid use.

"I mean look at him, he don't look like he take nothing," Brown said. "Everybody can make assumptions, but I don't believe it, especially after talking to him."

To replace the two cornerbacks, the Eagles signed former Detroit Lions cornerback Ramzee Robinson and promoted former fourth-round pick Jack Ikegwuonu from the practice squad.

Robinson played in a total of 19 games with the Lions during the 2007 and 2008 seasons, but was out of football this season.

Dimitri Patterson, who has missed the last four games because of a fractured left hand and a quadriceps strain, is expected to return Sunday against the San Diego Chargers and will be placed in the role of nickel cornerback.

Reid said safety Quintin Demps will probably replace Hobbs as the Eagles' primary kick returner with rookies Victor "Macho" Harris and Jeremy Maclin also candidates to do the job. Demps did not practice yesterday because of a sprained ankle, but he said he thinks he'll be ready by Sunday.