NFL reinstates suspended Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon

The uber-talented Cleveland Browns receiver, who missed all of the 2015 season due to a suspension for repeated violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, has been conditionally reinstated, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Gordon has a conditional reinstatement and is suspended for the first four games of 2016. The return of Josh Gordon could prove to be critical, even with a four-game suspension. The league said once Gordon meets clinical requirements, he can take part in preseason activities, including practices and games.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Gordon Monday that he can join the team for training camp, meetings, conditioning work and other similar activities. Don’t do anything stupid and you’ll have a good idea of what your future looks like sooner than later. “I have every belief that you can make the right choices, but it will be up to you to do so”. He wasn’t exactly great in the other five, either, catching a total of 24 passes for 303 yards at the tail-end of the 2014 season.

Looking back at the 2013 season in which Gordon played 14 regular season games, he caught 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. He was arrested for DWI in July 2014, which came months after a positive marijuana test, which led to a 10-game suspension for the 2014 season. The Browns would then sit down and talk with Gordon and assess his frame of mind and attitude before making any decision on taking him back.

This is only the latest step in Gordon’s ongoing saga to return to the NFL.

The Cleveland Browns have struggled to find any consistency with their wide receivers. The fact that Goodell specifically mentioned Jim Brown as being one of the people who promised to help Gordon might indicate the team leans toward keeping Gordon. He had just four catches for 45 yards.

Cole also notes that some within the Browns organization are “weary” of the off-field troubles Gordon has gotten himself into over the years. Maybe, just maybe Jackson can coax some improved play out of quarterback Robert Griffin III as the former National Football League offensive rookie of the year attempts to recapture his 2012 magic when he was with the Washington Redskins.

The NFL decided on Monday to give Josh Gordon another chance, and it sounds like the Cleveland Browns will do the same.

Gordon has already served a total of two full seasons in his short career.