BEREA (92.3 The Fan) – As of Wednesday receiver Josh Gordon remains banned from the Browns complex in Berea.

But that could change within the next 12-24 hours.

The NFL and NFLPA are expected to announce a new substance abuse policy at any moment that will reduce Gordon’s year-long suspension and also allow him to return to the team’s facility to work out.

“Until he’s here and we get official word, then I’ll deal with it at that point,” head coach Mike Pettine said Wednesday afternoon. “But at this point, I think there’s still a lot of stuff floating out there as far as what – and I’ve heard a lot of different things, and it’s just hard to react to it until we actually get definitive word from the league.”

Wednesday morning the NFL and NFLPA announced a new comprehensive agreement on performance enhancing drugs and HGH testing while the final details of the new revised substance abuse policy are being ironed out.

That new PED agreement allowed Broncos tight end Wes Welker along with Cowboys defensive back Orlando Scandrick and Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey to return to their teams immediately and they can play this week.

It appears that Gordon won’t be as fortunate once the substance abuse policy is announced. Despite reportedly failing his test by 1 nanogram, his year-long suspension will only be reduced to 10 games.

“We’ll see how it plays out,” quarterback Brian Hoyer said. “I’m not really concerned about it. I’m worried about the guys in this room, but to get Josh back around would obviously be great for us.”

Gordon was suspended for the first 2 games last year for a failed drug test he attributed to codeine in prescribed cough syrup. In 14 games he still led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards and he led the Browns with 87 catches and 9 touchdowns.

Safety Donte Whitner is hopeful that Gordon will be available down the stretch.

“When you get a piece like that, it’ll scare a bunch of defensive coordinators, especially in our division because they know the things that he can do,” Whitner said. “And six games is enough games to go out there and make a statement, and we believe that he’s going to do that.”

The new policy would benefit Gordon because it guarantees an accrued season, meaning that he will still be eligible for free agency following the 2015 season. He would also be permitted to be around the team and use its facilities while suspended.

“Those guys need that support,” Whitner said. “I’ve said it a long time ago – no, he doesn’t need to be cut, or he doesn’t need to be kept away from the football team. He needs to be around us, and we need to support him and get him the help that he needs, because, first and foremost, he’s a human being, and secondly, he’s a football player.

“We know the things that he can do on a football field, so we just want him to do good things off the football field.”

On Tuesday Gordon plead guilty to a DWI charge in Raleigh, North Carolina but reportedly will not face an additional suspension under the new policy because he resolved the case quickly.

When and if Gordon is allowed to return to Berea to work out Pettine plans to sit down with him for another heart to heart meeting.

“I’m sure at some point when he is permitted to come back in the building,” Pettine said. “I’ve already had some good sit-downs with Josh, Ray (Farmer) and I both. When that occurs, we’ll sit down with him and just kind of lay the plan out for him. We’d like to think that all of our players…we’re on the same page with all of them as far as, ‘Here’s what your role is. Here’s what our expectations are.’”

Until the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed on the new policy and an announcement is made, the waiting continues.

But what else is new.

Sports Stories You May Also Be Interested In

[display-posts category=”sports” wrapper=”ul” posts_per_page=”4″]

Follow @RuiterWrongFAN