Buffalo Bills OT Seantrel Henderson suspended for substance-abuse violation

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

The league officially notified the Bills and Henderson on Friday. There were reports this week that Henderson would appeal the suspension, but he will begin serving his ban immediately.

Henderson will be eligible to return to the Bills' active roster on Monday, Oct. 3, following the team's Oct. 2 game against the New England Patriots.

Henderson, 24, passed his physical on Aug. 22 and returned to practice for the first time in nearly nine months after battling Crohn's disease since last season. According to ESPN, the positive test was apparently caused by a treatment for the disease.

Henderson was plagued by failed drug tests while at the University of Miami, causing some teams to remove him from their draft boards in 2014, and reportedly tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Henderson fell to the Bills in the seventh round and went on to start all 16 games at right tackle as a rookie. He started 10 of the first 11 games last season, missing one game due to concussion, before being diagnosed with Crohn's disease and missing the rest of the season.

The disease is an inflammatory condition that affects the digestive system, and Henderson told The Palm Beach Post that he underwent a procedure in January to remove 2 1/2 feet of his intestines. Henderson said the procedure resulted in a 50-pound weight loss, and he wore an ileostomy bag until his intestines were reattached in April.

"I was weak," Henderson told The Post. "At first I couldn't stand up on my own. I felt so weak. It was terrible. I didn't like it at all. I kept walking and walking around the hospital."

Henderson missed more than half of training camp and appeared in just one preseason game. Jordan Mills has replaced him as the starting right tackle.

Henderson said earlier this week that he is not back to full strength.

"I don't feel like I'm a full 100 percent, still getting back, I've only had two practices and a preseason game," Henderson said. "But I feel like I'm moving forward and getting better every day."