SANTA CLARA -- After a Thursday practice last season, DeMingoGraham's story goes, a teammate offered him a sports drink.
Graham, an offensive lineman who at the time was a starter withthe Houston Texans, says he accepted the drink without checking theingredients, which included the banned stimulant ephedrine. The nextday, in an untimely coincidence for him, Graham was chosen to take arandom NFL drug test.
When the test came back positive for ephedrine, the 30-year-oldGraham received a four-game suspension, which cost him $65,250 forthe last two games of last season. If he makes the roster of the SanFrancisco 49ers this year, it will cost him another $66,250 of the$530,000 salary he is scheduled to receive.
'It's an expensive cocktail,' said Graham's agent, Alan Herman.'It's the most expensive drink he ever had. It cost him four gamechecks.'
Graham and Herman quickly determined there was no point inappealing the suspension. Graham had a clean record before theincident, but even though he said his violation of the ephedrine banhad been accidental, it was a violation nonetheless.
'I thought about fighting it,' Graham said. 'But what were mychances of winning?'
Had Graham appealed and lost, he'd have entered the summer as anunrestricted free agent facing a four-game suspension.
Instead, he already has served half his sentence, so if he makesthe 49ers' roster, he only will have to miss the season's first twogames. Graham is eligible to play in the 49ers' four exhibitiongames.
'(The suspension) probably makes it a little harder for him tomake the team but not to a point where he can't make the team,' saidgeneral manager Terry Donahue, who signed Graham to a one-yearcontract on June 2. 'If he were the best player and he proves to bethe player who should be on the team, we could afford to go two gameswhere he would be inactive.'
Graham started 11 games last year for the Texans, and he hasappeared in 60 NFL games over five seasons with San Diego andHouston.
But the suspension is not the only challenge he must overcome.Additionally, there is the matter of his weight.
The 6-foot-3 Graham said his playing weight usually has been about310 pounds. When he signed with the Niners, however, he weighed about350. Working out and watching what he eats, Graham said he hasdropped 15 pounds. He said he hopes to be around 320 when the seasonbegins.
'(My weight) probably shouldn't be too much of an issue as long asI keep working hard and stay at it,' Graham said.
The job he is trying to win is to be the backup at both guardpositions. Donahue wants Graham to take off more weight but said hestill likes what he sees.
'He's got some ability,' Donahue said. 'He's a big man. If you getinto his hands, he can clamp you.'
Considering the issues he brought with him to the 49ers, Graham isgrateful for the opportunity.
'It really means a lot to me,' he said. 'Hopefully, I'll make theteam and be able to live up to the potential that they think I have.'
