The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the more passive teams thus far in the offseason. However, that has not kept them from making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The latest one is the impending four-game suspension of linebacker Vontaze Burfict due to performance-enhancing drugs. According to Jim Owczarski of The Cincinnati Enquirer, head coach Marvin Lewis is prepared to start the 2018 NFL season without Burfict:

“We were aware of it since the end of the season so whatever happens, happens. It doesn’t hold us back,” Lewis. “We’re going to miss a player, likely, for a few weeks, but there’s nothing we can do about it. That’s the way it goes. You’ve got to do things within the scope of what the players are asked to do all the time, and that’s important. Just gotta do it the right way.”

Burfict's situation is not one that suddenly came out of nowhere. The Bengals' captain had been slapped with a four-game suspension after violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

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Burfict made headlines after making the decision to appeal the suspension for questionable reasons. He claims that the positive results were due to the medication he was taking to treat symptoms of the concussion he had suffered after taking a hit from Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Needless to say, Smith-Schuster was quick to point out the flaws in Burfict's argument.

No matter, a final decision has yet to be reached on Burfict's case. In the meantime, it seems the Bengals will be taking every necessary precaution to ensure that his spot is filled come Week 1.