The NFL suspended Minnesota left tackle Bryant McKinnie for four games without pay Friday for violating the league's personal conduct policy, a blow to the protection of Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson's blind side.
McKinnie has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a street brawl outside a Miami nightclub in February. He will be eligible to return to the Vikings' active roster following the team's Sept. 28 game against Tennessee/
McKinnie will miss games against Green Bay, Indianapolis and Carolina. That means potential matchups against premier pass rushers Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (Packers), Dwight Freeney (Colts) and Julius Peppers (Panthers).
Seven-year veteran Artis Hicks, who was Minnesota's starter at right guard for 1 1/2 seasons before being unseated by Anthony Herrera, is expected to fill in at left tackle for McKinnie. Though McKinnie's performance has been up and down, the Vikings' first-round draft pick in 2002 has not missed a start since ending a holdout midway through his rookie year. That's 87 straight games.
Jackson remains a question mark at quarterback, and — though coach Brad Childress has said repeatedly over the past few months he couldn't be concerned about the possibility of punishment for McKinnie — this was a discouraging development for this team 10 days before the season opener.
McKinnie signed a seven-year, $48.5 million contract extension, including more than $17 million in guaranteed money, in September 2006. The Vikings did not practice Friday and had no comment.
McKinnie's attorney, Larry Kerr, said a pretrial hearing on the criminal charges is scheduled next month in Miami-Dade County Court. A telephone message left by The Associated Press for McKinnie's agent, Ben Dogra, was not immediately returned.
