ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams starting linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar was suspended Wednesday for four games for violating the NFLs policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Dunbar, who was second on the team with a career-high 157 tackles last season, is able to participate in all team activities prior to the suspension, which begins with the season-opening game against Arizona. He will be able to practice and play in all exhibition contests prior to the opener. Dunbar did not take questions from reporters Wednesday but issued a 41-second statement. He appeared emotional as he walked away following the comments. "I just want to say that I did not take a performance enhancing drug," Dunbar said. "I mistakenly took something that prompted a failed drug test." The 27-year-old Dunbar also will miss games against Atlanta, Dallas and San Francisco. He eligible to return on Sept. 27. "I sincerely apologize to my teammates (and) the organization," he said. "I am deeply saddened by this. But I plan to serve my four-game suspension and get back to playing football as soon as possible." The 6-foot, 235-pound Dunbar is the second St. Louis player suspended by the league this season. Running back Isaiah Pead will miss the opening game for a violation of the substance abuse policy. Dunbar, who signed with the Rams on April 2, 2012, started all 16 games last season. He led the team in tackles for loss (23) and recorded 4.5 sacks. Veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon is in line to replace Dunbar. "You always feel bad any time a guy is going to miss a particular part of the season," Witherspoon said. "Were all going to support him." Witherspoon, an 11-year veteran, is ready to pick up the slack left by Dunbars suspension. "If Im asked to step in and start, then thats what Ill do," he said. "If not, Ill still be the veteran leader that Ive always wanted to be." St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead were not available for comment. Most players were given Wednesday off. A one-hour special teams-only practice was held late in the afternoon. The entire squad will participate in a full workout Thursday afternoon.Custom Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. John Lynch Buccaneers Jersey . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. http://www.authenticbuccaneerspro.com/Devin-white-buccaneers-jersey/ . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Matt Gay Youth Jersey . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. John Lynch Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday.DETROIT -- Matt Boyd reached out his glove and snagged Joe Mauers liner to the mound.Looking pleased with himself, the Detroit left-hander flipped the ball from his glove to his bare hand and then threw the ball into left field in a failed attempt to start the toss around the infield.I think I made myself look really athletic, and then about five seconds later made myself look like a dunce out there, Boyd said.Boyd could joke about that blooper because it basically was his only misstep of the night. He allowed three hits in six outstanding innings, and the Tigers beat Minnesota 1-0 on Monday to hand the last-place Twins another loss just hours after they announced the firing of general manager Terry Ryan.Justin Upton homered in the second to back Boyd (1-2), who struck out seven with one walk and provided a welcome boost to a rotation that has shown little depth of late.Three relievers finished for the Tigers, with Francisco Rodriguez pitching a hitless ninth for his 26th save in 28 chances.Minnesota announced Ryans firing before the game, then lost in relatively punchless fashion. Ricky Nolasco (4-8) allowed one run and three hits in six innings.Weve been struggling offensively coming out of the break, and that didnt change, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. We had a lot of trouble with Boyds offspeed pitches.Uptons homer was his 200th.Its definitely cool to reach that milestone, Upton said. I hope thats not the last milestone I reach.Although the Tigers left the bases loaded in the third, Boyd and the bullpen made their one run stand up. Detroit is without injured right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, and the rotation has looked thin behind Justin Verlander and rookie Michael Fulmer.Boyd, however, has been impressive in his last two starts. He allowed one run in five innings against Toronto in his final outing before the All-Star break.Monday was the longest scoreless start of the 25-year-old left-handerss career.dddddddddddd. The Tigers acquired him in last years trade that sent David Price to Toronto.Boyds biggest jam was in the fourth, when he got Eddie Rosario on a grounder for the third out with two on. The Twins didnt have another baserunner until Miguel Sanos one-out walk in the ninth.HONOREDThe Tigers gave tickets to some Dallas police officers who were in town for the funeral of Michael Krol, a Michigan native who was among the five officers killed earlier this month by a gunman in Dallas. The officers were shown in the crowd on the big screen at the start of the fifth inning, and fans gave them a standing ovation. There was a brief pause before the game restarted, and a couple umpires joined in the clapping.I got goosebumps. That was probably one of the coolest things Ive seen, Tigers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. The whole city kind of stood up and rallied and let those guys know that we do support them. Those guys lay their lives on the line.NO KsNolasco did not strike out a batter, the first time thats happened to him since he lasted only two innings in a start July 6, 2014, against the New York Yankees.TRAINERS ROOMTigers: LHP Daniel Norris (right oblique strain) allowed a run and five hits in four innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Toledo. Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said hes not sure if Norris will need another rehab start or not. ... RHP Warwick Saupold (right groin strain) was reinstated from the DL and optioned to Toledo.UP NEXTTwins: LHP Tommy Milone (2-2) takes the mound Tuesday night against Detroit. He allowed two runs in five innings in a win over Texas on July 10.Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (5-10) tries again to turn his miserable season around. He brings a 6.75 ERA into Tuesdays matchup.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister ' ' '