CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are hoping Josh Gordon will be ready to roll when the Steelers come to town for the opener Sept. 9.

"There's a chance,'' coach Hue Jackson said on a conference call Saturday. "Obviously, we're just going to take it one step at a time. His focus is going to be on meetings and conditioning, and then we'll just kind of go from there. Hopefully, we can get him up and running by the first game."

Gordon returned to the Browns on Saturday from a treatment program at the University of Florida, and was placed on the active/non-football injury list. It means he can start practicing as soon as his medical team gives him the green light. In the meantime, he can attend meetings and conditioning sessions.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told cleveland.com that "there's no timetable'' for the next steps, but the Browns hope to get Gordon back on the field soon. He probably won't be ready in time for Thursday's third preseason game against the Eagles, but could see action in the preseason finale against Detroit.

"We're going to take it day by day,'' said Jackson. "We've not been around him in quite a while. He needs to be back with his teammates and we have to see how that all unfolds, back around the coaches and just getting him back integrated into our system and into how we go about doing things here every day and getting him back to playing football.''

Jackson sat down with Gordon Saturday and believes he's "in a really solid place. He's really excited to be back and ready to get going. He'll continue to make progress. We're very happy to have him back in the building.''

Jackson noted that Gordon, who vowed to put his sobriety and mental health first, must "earn the right to be back out there. Nothing is going to be given. He doesn't just walk right out and become the starting X on our team. He's going to have to earn that.''

In Gordon's absence, Antonio Callaway has been the X receiver. Before him, it was Corey Coleman, who was traded Aug. 5 to the Bills.

"There have been quite a few players that have been here the whole time that have worked extremely hard,'' said Jackson. "We're going to keep going that way. At some point in time when we think it's right, we'll stick him back out there.''

Jackson, who kept in touch with Gordon during his absence, said he never lost trust in the receiver.

"Obviously, he was doing something to put himself in a better place, which is very important,'' said Jackson. "What's very important is that he continues to do the things that the organization has set forth and that the football team has set forth. Josh understands that and is willing to do that.''

Jackson's not worried that welcoming Gordon back sends a mixed message to the players, who have been warned the Browns have a low tolerance for off-the-field issues.

"I don't think this is behavioral, though,'' he said. "Our players know that there's a line here. Josh wanted to put himself in a better position so that he didn't cross that line. They see a guy who was dealing with something that's been in his life that he wanted to make sure when he was back that it would not reoccur. He put himself in the best position to come in, help his teammates win and be in a better place."

Jackson believes Gordon has developed chemistry and understanding of the offense in OTAs and minicamp.

"There will be some things to build on,'' said Jackson. "How fast can that become in sync as well as we would like it to be? We just have to kind of work through that day by day."

Jackson said Gordon's return has nothing to do with whether or not the Browns sign Dez Bryant, but a league source said Bryant is not currently on the front burner. The Browns, however, will continue to look at receivers because they know Gordon has to take things one day at a time.

"As many good football players that we can put on this team, it becomes a better offensive football team,'' said Jackson. "They all will play off of each other. No question about that. The more guys that you have, the more people can't do certain things to Jarvis (Landry), the more people cannot do certain things to (the other receivers).''

He has allowed himself to envision an offense with Gordon, Landry and Callaway on the field.

"I'll be even more excited once that really happens and once he's out there playing and he's earned the trust of his teammates and coaches and he's out there contributing to our football team,'' said Jackson.

He made no guarantees that Gordon is back for good. This was at least his fifth time in treatment, and Gordon admitted that "this has by no means been an easy road'' in a Browns' release announcing his return.

"I'm confident that he's here," said Jackson. "That's the most important part. How long he stays, only Josh knows that, but he's in a much better place.

"I think all those things, as you guys know, are always fluid. That's always a concern, but at the same time, we're here to support, help and try to create the right environments for Josh."