Josh Gordon

Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is trying to get back in the NFL this summer.

(Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Drew Rosenhaus said Wednesday night that Josh Gordon has had a 'hiccup' and a 'temporary setback' in his bid to return to the NFL, but that he's ready to do so.

"Josh has been working very hard over the past year to get himself back into the NFL,'' Rosenhaus told SiriusXMNFL radio. "Obviously there's been a hiccup here. He acknowledged that. But he'll have another opportunity before the season to show the NFL that he's got his life in order and that he's ready to resume his NFL career without any setbacks and I'm very hopeful that he will.''

He stressed that Gordon, who had his petition for reinstatement denied by the NFL on Tuesday, has done everything the league has asked for most of the past year. He can reapply for reinstatement on Aug. 1, a source told cleveland.com.

"He's had, as I said, a recent setback here, but it's not of the nature where it's going to derail his hopes,'' Rosenhaus said. "It's a temporary setback. I'm confident he can get right back on track and without getting into the details because that's the very thing we're upset about, I really believe that Josh has done an admirable job up until point. I hope can get back to that and I'm confident that he will.'

Rosenhaus and Gordon are also pursuing a grievance along with the NFLPA over leaks of Gordon's failed drug test. Leaks of such classified come with a heavy price, including a $500,000 fine for clubs, as spelled out in the collective bargaining agreement.

"Josh and I very disappointed in the leak,'' he said. "This is confidential information. this is a test result that would be underneath the limit to be considered a positive test. This is not information that's supposed to be disseminated publicly. This is not information that's supposed to be available. It shouldn't be in the news. It's completely confidential.''

Even if Gordon is reinstated, there's no guarantee he'll play for the Browns again.

Browns Executive Vice President Sashi Brown said Wednesday the club was never counting on receiver Josh Gordon to be back with the team in the first place.

"Once Josh was suspended, we organizationally set our mind frame to not counting on him coming back, and I think that's the only healthy way to operate and the way we continue to look at it,'' he told SiriusXMNFL radio. "And if Josh is fortunate enough to be reinstated, obviously we'll have some discussions with him at that time.''

Gordon, the former All-Pro, will have no margin for error between now and Aug. 1 if he hopes to be reinstated.

"In the meantime, the main thing that I think I take away from it is I just hope Josh gets to a place where he's able to be reinstated and I don't want to say his life's not together but whatever might be preventing him from being reinstated he can have addressed and get on a good path moving forward,'' said Brown. "He's got a bright future ahead of him and he's still young as heck. So we're rooting for him and if it comes to pass that he's back in the league great."

Brown acknowledged that Gordon's denied petition is having more of an impact on Gordon than it is on the Browns -- a sign that the club will likely move on once he's reinstated.

"If anything, probably disappointed for Josh,'' he said. "Organizationally, we're focused on the 65 or so players on our roster right now.''

Gordon has been hanging out in Los Angeles lately with former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, and TMZ Sports reported Wednesday that Gordon picked Manziel up late Saturday night off the Sunset Strip, where he was the passenger in an alleged hit-and-run.

Josh Gordon picks up Johnny Manziel after he was passenger in alleged hit-and-run

But Rosenhaus revealed during his radio appearance Wednesday night that Manziel has left Los Angeles and gone back to Texas.

Rosenhaus, who only started representing Manziel about three weeks ago, also gave Manziel an ultimatum that he go to treatment within five days or find another agent.

He described Manziel's situation as "life or death.''

"I have terminated the standard representation with Johnny Manziel in the hopes of helping him get the treatment I believe he needs," Rosenhaus said told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I have informed him that if he takes the immediate steps I have outlined for him that I will rescind the termination and continue to represent him.

"Otherwise the termination will become permanent. There is a five-day window for me to rescind the termination. I'm hoping he takes the necessary steps to get his life back on track."

If Gordon wants to get back into the NFL, and back into the good graces of the Browns, he'll have to stay away from Manziel over the next few months, unless Manziel cleans up his act. He's still under investigation in Dallas and by the NFL for misdemeanor domestic violence -- and facing possible suspension by the league under its personal conduct policy.

In the meantime, it's clear that Rosenhaus is trying to separate the two by thousands of miles, and make sure that both are getting back on track.