EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Giants wide receiver Golden Tate has been suspended for four games for using a drug prescribed for fertility planning, another setback at the position in the team’s first season since trading Odell Beckham Jr.
In its opening practice on Thursday, Corey Coleman tore an anterior cruciate ligament and Sterling Shepard broke his left thumb.
Tate, a 10-year veteran who signed with the Giants as a free agent, announced the suspension in a Twitter post on Saturday. He said that he planned to appeal the violation of the N.F.L.’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs and that he would have no further comment.
The N.F.L. has not announced the suspension and it had no comment, a league spokesman, Brian McCarthy, said in an email on Saturday. Coach Pat Shurmur declined to comment, saying the team will see what happens.
Tate can practice in training camp, but he will not be able to play in the first four regular-season games unless his suspension is overturned.
Tate and General Manager Dave Gettleman spoke to the news media on Friday and neither mentioned the suspension.
The Giants’ receiving corps has been swamped by injuries in the first three days of training camp. Darius Slayton, a fifth-round draft choice, has missed the first two workouts with a hamstring injury, and Brittan Golden sustained a groin injury on Friday.
Shepard, who was supposed to take over as the No. 1 receiver, said he believed he would be ready for the season opener at Dallas on Sept. 8. Coleman, who is also a kickoff returner, was placed on injured reserve.
In his statement, Tate said he and his wife met with a fertility specialist in April. He took a prescribed drug, he said, and learned shortly after that an ingredient was a substance banned by the league. Tate said he reported the problem to the independent administrator of the N.F.L.’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, and alerted his coaches and general manager.
Tate is confident his appeal has merit. He said that he had never violated the league’s rules on banned substances, and that the treatment would have no effect on the 2019 season.
The Giants have three veteran receivers who have been starters: Russell Shepard, Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler. They signed receivers Amba Etta-Tawo and T.J. Jones on Saturday, waiving kicker Joey Slye.
“We will be fine,” said Sterling Shepard, who said his thumb was not causing much pain. “Like I said, we have guys that will step up. This is the N.F.L., everybody can play and they will have an opportunity to showcase their abilities.”
