Josh Gordon needs to convince NFL that he has changed

Nov 30, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon (12) carries the ball as Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Preston Brown (52) defends during the first half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon needs to convince the NFL that he is a changed man if he wants to be reinstated for 2016.

The Cleveland Browns are in the process of rebuilding their offense under head coach Hue Jackson where, in addition to the quarterback position, the team will be looking to add firepower at wide receiver.

That can come through free agency, with Marvin Jones of the Cincinnati Bengals a possible target, through the draft, and by resigning Travis Benjamin before he hits free agency.

Could it also include the return of wide receiver Josh Gordon?

Gordon missed all of the 2015 season after his third suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policies. He has officially applied to be reinstated, and on Friday NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that Gordon has to prove he is a changed man.

“The process is that we’ll go back and we’ll look at how he’s conducted himself over the last several months, what he’s done to make sure it’s consistent with the terms of his suspension,” Goodell said in his annual Super Bowl press conference. “I will engage with our people to understand where he is, where he’s been, but most importantly it’s where he’s going. When these things happen, it’s about trying to avoid them in the future.

“Our No. 1 issue here is to prevent these things from happening. I’m hopeful that Josh understands that he’s going to have to conduct himself differently going forward to be a member of the NFL and to be representing the Cleveland Browns, or any team in the NFL. So our job is to try to get people to understand that, try to make sure that they live by the policies that we have and ensure that this is what all of us in the league want, but also I think our fans want. our fans want players playing by the same rules.”

As well as convincing Goodell that he has changed, Gordon also has to meet with the league’s medical director and provide proof that his substance abuse problems are a thing of the past.

“I’m hopeful that Josh understands that he’s going to have to conduct himself differently going forward to be a member of the NFL.” – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

“To be reinstated, a player must demonstrate sustained abstinence,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said a few weeks ago about Gordon. “In support of their applications, players generally put forward verifiable testing records and/or submit to periodic NFL testing during the banishment period.”

Those steps all sound pretty straight forward, so let’s assume that Gordon’s reinstatement is a done deal. What kind of player will he be when he returns?

Many Browns fans are simply assuming that the Browns will automatically be gaining the Gordon from 2013, a season that saw him lead the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards, making 87 receptions and catching nine touchdowns while earning First Team All-Pro honors.

There is some precedence for that, most recently with Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. After being suspended for the final 15 games of the 2014 season, Peterson returned this past season to rush for 1,485 yards, which is the third-highest total of his career.

Of course, it is also possible that the Browns will be gaining the Gordon of 2014, who was disinterested once he returned from his 10-game suspension. In five games that season, Gordon caught just 24 passes for 303 yards and no touchdowns. The team suspended him for the season finale after he was late to practice.

Working in the favor of Gordon and the Browns is that, unlike 2014, Gordon will be coming back in time to be a full participant in the offseason training, minicamps and a full training camp. It was obviously difficult for Gordon to find his place in the offense when he returned in midseason in 2014, but that won’t be the case this time.

Convincing Goodell that he has changed is only Gordon’s first hurdle, as he also has to convince the Browns that they can truly trust him, something that executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown alluded to a few weeks ago.

More from Dawg Pound Daily

“I think we would sit down with Josh and see where he is,” Brown said. “As you know, under league rules, we’re not allowed to have much contact with him. And so we have heard through his agent that he’s doing well and excited to be back. Hue Jackson and I, along with Paul DePodesta and others, would sit down with Josh and see where he is and what his plans are.

“But without having seen him for a year, it would be hard for us to say. Could Josh come back to this roster? Yes. Is that necessarily going to happen? Obviously, he’s got to clear the hurdles with the NFL to see if he can get to that point.”

It seems unlikely that the Browns would simply cut ties with Gordon once he is reinstated. He is still under contract for the 2016 season at a very reasonable price and is slated to be a restricted free agent after the upcoming season. It is more reasonable to expect the Browns to let the process play out through training camp to see if Gordon is engaged and ready to be the player he was in 2013.

There is still a long way to go in Gordon’s journey back to the Browns and the NFL.

But in a week where the news surrounding another troubled Browns player was anything but positive, the fact that Gordon is at least one step closer to returning gives fans something to feel good about.

Home/Browns News