Suspension Tracker: Bell, Gordon among players serving bans to start 2016

The NFL season is just around the corner, but as with every September, a number of prominent players will have to wait before taking the field.

Whether it's due to violations of league policies, off-field incidents, or never-ending battles over inflation levels of footballs, suspensions of varying lengths remain common.

Here's a look at the extensive list of players - including those currently employed and some noteworthy free agents - who will serve bans to start the 2016 campaign.

Notables

Tom Brady

The Deflategate saga finally came to an end this offseason when Brady elected to drop the latest appeal of his four-game suspension. New England will hand the keys to Jimmy Garoppolo before Brady's return in Week 5.

Le'Veon Bell

An initial four-game suspension for Bell's latest violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy was reduced to three games upon appeal. Not only does the settlement get him on the field sooner, but Bell also avoids the next stage of the program. That means his next suspension would be another four-game ban, rather than the 10-game punishment that typically follows.

Josh Gordon

Gordon was reinstated on a conditional basis ahead of training camp, after missing all of last season due to a third substance abuse suspension. The arrangement allowed him to participate in all preseason activities, but he will serve another four-game ban to start 2016. Gordon will be eligible for to play his first game since 2014 when the Browns host Brady and the Patriots in Week 5.

Aldon Smith

Smith received a 16-game suspension with six games remaining in his first season with the Raiders. He will be tentatively eligible for reinstatement after serving the remaining nine games this fall, but Smith's status appears very much up in the air. He checked into a rehab facility this offseason, shortly after a video surfaced that appeared to show him smoking marijuana.

Vontaze Burfict

Burfict's history of on-field incidents has finally caught up to him. The Bengals linebacker was suspended three games after a violent helmet-to-helmet hit on Antonio Brown in the wild-card round of last year's playoffs, with the NFL citing repeated violations of player safety. An appeal of the discipline was denied, so Burfict will be sidelined until Week 4.