As he faces a potential year-long suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, Josh Gordon is likely to remain a remember of the Browns, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, it remains possible that the Browns will decide to cut Gordon in advance of training camp, but it’s an unlikely scenario.
Gordon’s suspension, which could take into account his recent DUI arrest, has yet to be announced, so I’d be surprised if Cleveland made any final decisions on what to do with the wideout before that point. Still, if his year-long suspension is upheld, it will be an uphill battle for Gordon to return to the field for the Browns or another team. As we saw with Tanard Jackson this week, just because a player returns from one suspension, it doesn’t mean another won’t follow shortly thereafter, particularly if the player hasn’t taken steps to get help and stay out of trouble.
In the unlikely event that the Browns part ways with Gordon this summer, he’d be subject to the waiver system, meaning last year’s worst team, the Texans, would have first dibs at claiming him and taking on his contract. Of course, if a Cleveland team that saw Gordon rack up 1,646 receiving yards in just 14 games last season decides to cut the former supplemental draft pick, other teams may be equally reluctant to add him to their roster.
Prior to Gordon’s arrest last weekend, we heard that his appeal hearing was scheduled for late July. Although it’s unclear if that timetable has been altered at all due to his latest off-field incident, it appears as if we’ll get official word on the wideout’s suspension within the next few weeks.