Berea, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine hopes that Josh Gordon doesn't end up on the boulevard of broken dreams like so many other players he's seen in his NFL career.



"There's a lot of help available (in the NFL),'' he said. "It's very impressive, but there has to be a willingness on the other side. Sometimes guys get the message, but it's too late. In all my time in the league, there's always going to be a handful of guys that just don't get it.''



Gordon will spend part of his day off day Wednesday appearing in Berea Municipal Court to dispute a speeding ticket from the Sunday night of Memorial Day Weekend, when he was caught going 74 miles per hour in a 60 m.p.h. zone. The officer smelled marijuana in the car, and one of Gordon's three passengers, Terrell McKenzie of Cleveland, was cited for possession.



The incident complicated matters for Gordon, who's appealing the NFL's anticipated decision to ban him indefinitely for a failed marijuana test.



In Pettine's view, the speeding incident doesn't change anything for now, but acknowledged "it can be (troubling) if it's a pattern.''



Gordon has definitely displayed such a pattern, dating all the way back to when he got kicked out of Baylor in 2010 for two failed marijuana tests. The hard part for Pettine is that Gordon is the model citizen around the Berea facility: quiet, hardworking, pleasant and extremely likable.



"He comes out, he works hard in practice, puts in a day's work, solid in the classroom,'' said Pettine. "When he's in the building, he's been solid."

Gordon has largely kept to himself since he arrived on the Browns' doorstep in the summer of 2012, taking his time getting to know people and letting few into his circle of trust. So it's hard to know exactly what he's thinking, but Pettine is sure the looming ban is weighing on him.

"I can't imagine that it wouldn't,'' Pettine said. "It would be human nature."

While Gordon works diligently by day learning the intricacies of Kyle Shanahan's offense, he and the Browns have no idea when the hammer will drop.

"We don't know,'' said Pettine. "That's part of it, and I think everybody can sense the frustration, but it's a difficult thing. Until it happens, we have a plan in place for all eventualities. We're just like everybody else, still in a holding pattern."

Fortunately for Pettine, the Browns have a good support system in place for guys like Gordon and new cornerback Aaron Berry, who overcame back-to-back arrests in 2012 and has turned his life around.

"That's one of the things that I've been impressed with in being here so far,'' Pettine said. "I think the hiring of (Browns director of player engagement) Jamil Northcutt was very much under the radar and very important. I think he brings an outstanding background in his ability to relate to the players, and be able to really reach all of them. I just think not only him, but (Browns head athletic trainer) Joe Sheehan and the training room...I think the guys around, the support staff have a really good pulse of this team. It's something that I have a real good feeling about.''

If Gordon sticks around long enough to get to know Browns new receiver Nate Burleson, a12th year pro, he just might have the veteran mentor he needs to help keep him on track. Burleson has a great, upbeat attitude and has been played with the likes of Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson. He knows a gold-jacket caliber receiver when he sees one.

"That type of talent you want on the field, whether it's at practice or gameday,'' said Burleson. "You only get so many guys every few years that redefine the position and he's one of those guys. He's not your traditional receiver. There's Calvin and there's Randy, these guys were hit with that special stick and God blessed them with attributes you can only create in video games. For him to miss any time, it's a loss for everybody in general, fans especially. The hope is that he's on the field.''



Burleson already showed his veteran leadership this week, planning a receivers-only dinner last night so the guys could get to know each other. It's exactly the kind of thing Gordon can benefit from.



"It was something I wanted to put together,'' said Burleson, who will get his cast off next week. "We see each other every day and we get tired of looking at each other's mugs in these uniforms. I decided to go get something to eat. It's something I wanted to do. I've been here for 12 years and I know that when you get to take the pads off guys unveil themselves a little bit more. It's going to be fun to kick it with each other a little bit."

The news of Gordon's traffic violation didn't change Burleson's approach to getting to know him.

"I just do the same thing I was doing before since the news came out,'' he said. "Help motivate him and the other guys. I'm here as a guy who one, can show young guys how to be a professional athletes on and off the field and two, try to motivate them in different ways. He's so gifted and so talented that it's hard to coach greatness.

"It's hard to motivate greatness. I'm not saying he's great, but he has the talent to do that. The only reason I'm saying that is I played with Randy Moss and I played with Calvin Johnson and I've seen these guys first-hand every day.



"What I want to try to get him to understand is if he harnessed what he has and what he's been gifted with, he's going to be trouble in this league for a long time.''



At the same time, Burleson has been around long enough to know that the bonds must develop naturally.

"One thing I've learned is you take your time and you kind of earn your place in relationships,'' he said. "You can't overstep your boundaries. We've kind of chatted a little bit and in due time we'll discuss it in detail. Not just that, but about life in football.''

Burleson has been pleasantly surprised with what he's seen of Gordon in practice.

"I think he understands how good he is and he's working hard,'' he said. "I've heard things about his work ethic, but from what I see, he's playing at a high level. You don't need to overcoach him, you don't need to push him, when he steps on this field, he straps up and goes to work. For some people he makes it look easy at times and that can be misunderstood.''

And if the looming suspension is weighing on his mind, Burleson isn't detecting it on the field.

"If it was, he wouldn't be productive as he is at practice,'' he said. "He's showing up every day as the No. 1 receiver, he's not showing up as a guy who's uncertain about his future. That's all he can do right now, is go to work as if he's our No. 1 because he is.''

And in the event that Gordon is out for an extended period of time, Burleson plans to pick up the slack.



"Gotta make some plays, man. Simple,'' he said. "I'm about to be 33 in August, so if I get the opportunity to step up to the forefront and hold down the fort for as long as it may take I'm sure I'm gong to make some plays and have people out here in Cleveland understand that I'm a playmaker and then if he steps back in, I'll take a backseat but that's what football is all about.



"It's the next guy up and you gotta embrace the opportunity. It comes in different ways, with injuries, it comes with illness and it comes with all kinds of things so this is another situation. We're thinking optimistically around here and hopefully we won't have to deal with that situation."



Berry knows he can help Gordon if the receiver reaches out. He turned his life around after back-to-back arrests in 2012 for a DUI and brandishing a gun. The Lions cut him loose and the Jets picked him and gave him another chance. It's where Pettine got to know him in 2012.



"I know how it is,'' said Berry. "I went through that, it was tough to come out of the house, especially representing the last name on the back of your jersey, knowing everybody knows you, where you're from. It was tough. You've just got to keep faith in God and stay positive and just move forward."



The key, he said, is to shed the wrong kind of friends.



"It's tough because you don't want to labeled as one of those guys that goes to league and just forgets about their friends,'' he said. "You've just got to know when the time is right and the right place to do it. So I think my friends understood that I had to move forward and get away from the negative stuff. If they were real friends, they'll understand. If they're not, then it's just not meant to be."

Jordan Cameron stressed that Gordon has a roster full of support.

"He's a brother to us and we have his back no matter what,'' said Cameron. "He's a grown man. He'll figure it out sooner or later. If he needs talking to and he's open to that, we'll talk to him. But he's a smart guy. He'll figure it out and make it happen."