Extra Points: Gordon, Brown, Thomas, Texans

A pair of high profile players, receiver Josh Gordon of the Seahawks and defensive lineman David Irving, are both still waiting on answers from the league office. Both are suspended indefinitely, and decisions on reinstatement are overdue under the terms set by the collective bargaining agreement, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. Gordon applied for reinstatement in June and Irving in July and neither has heard back yet despite the CBA stipulating a decision is supposed to be made within 60 days, according to Schefter.”David has done everything asked of him,” Irving’s agent Steve Weinberg said. “He’s been drug tested, he’s met with doctors and I don’t get it. Why have 60 days in the program if they’re not going to abide by it.”

“We’re baffled why we don’t have a decision,” Weinberg continued. “We’re at a loss as to why this hasn’t been ruled on yet.” Gordon has an agreement in place with the Seahawks, but can’t officially sign until Roger Goodell gives him the go-ahead. Irving is a free agent. Both have been suspended numerous times for substance abuse policy violations, and Irving announced in 2019 he was quitting football before changing his mind back in February. Both players are talented and still relatively young, and it’s unclear what the holdup is. Perhaps the league scrambling to make COVID-19 related changes has put certain things on the backburner. We’ll keep you posted whenever the league responds.

Here’s more from around the league:

• Speaking of guys in trouble with the league office, we have an Antonio Brown update to pass along. The embattled receiver is dropping his countersuit against the woman who accused him of sexual assault, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). He also requested an extension to turn over evidence related to the civil case against him. In a follow-up tweet Pelissero notes that his suspension could be extended if new evidence emerges. Brown is now halfway through the eight-game suspension he was hit with earlier this year. Given his undeniable talent it would seem likely a team gives him a shot at some point once his ban is over if he can avoid anymore off-field trouble. Texans coach Bill O’Brien seemed to leave the door open to bringing in Brown a couple of weeks ago, but that was quickly followed by a report indicating that won’t be happening.
• Brown isn’t the only controversial veteran the Texans have flirted with. Last week it looked like Earl Thomas was on the verge of signing in Houston, only for things to fall apart at the last minute. Now we have more clarity on what changed. “Numerous” Texans players spoke up about their desire not to have the veteran safety in the locker room, sources told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. That apparently convinced O’Brien, who is also the team’s GM, to back off. Thomas has developed a reputation for being difficult to get along with in recent years, even though that wasn’t an issue early in his career with the Seahawks. He had a bitter divorce from Seattle, and was then of course cut by the Ravens after getting into a fight with a teammate and having Baltimore’s veterans ask the front office for his release. Houston played the Ravens in Week 2, and La Canfora notes that the subject of Thomas came up during conversations between players on the two teams. If he’s this strongly disliked by some of his fellow players, it could be a while before Thomas finds a new home.