RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner was suspended indefinitely by the NFL on Wednesday for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Earlier Wednesday, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Browner had his appeal of a one-year suspension denied.

The suspension is the second in two seasons for Browner. He was suspended four games last season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. He is the second Seahawks player to be suspended for violating the substance abuse policy this season. Fellow cornerback Walter Thurmond is serving the final week of a four-game suspension.

Brandon Browner has been suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. AP Photo/Greg Trott

Browner, who was injured in Week 10 against Atlanta and hasn't played since, filed an appeal of the suspension while injured, and the Seahawks were waiting for an answer from the league. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said earlier Wednesday before the suspension was announced that he was frustrated the process for making a determination on Browner's status had taken so long.

"It has taken a long time and I've been a little disappointed in that, but we're handling it," Carroll said.

Browner is in his third season with the Seahawks. He started all 26 games he has played with them and has 19 tackles, one interception and 10 passes defensed this season. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2011, when he had 23 passes defensed and six interceptions, but had not been able to match those numbers in the subsequent two seasons.

The suspension likely ends Browner's career with the Seahawks. He will become a free agent after the season and could file for reinstatement after one year.

News of the suspensions for both Browner and Thurmond came as the Seahawks were returning from their bye in late November. Browner is the seventh official suspension for a Seattle player for substance-abuse or performance-enhancing drugs violations by the league since 2011. That doesn't include Richard Sherman, whose suspension was overturned on appeal late last season.

The two suspensions have given chances to backups Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane. They have played well enough that it was not guaranteed Thurmond or Browner would get their starting jobs back.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.