It's been nine months since Saints DEs Charles Grant and Will Smith were sentenced to four-game suspensions after generating positive tests for a substance banned by the NFL, but the matter is still not resolved.

It was expected that Grant and Smith would begin serving the suspensions at the start of this season, but NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said they will not be suspended this week, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The league is awaiting the decision of a federal appeals court in Minnesota, which will decide whether to uphold or overturn the suspensions. It's unclear when that decision will be made.

The Saints will face the Lions in Week One.