The NFL won’t be waiting only 2-3 months to reconsider receiver Josh Gordon’s attempt to get back into the league.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Gordon may not reapply for reinstatement until August 1.
Applying on August 1 and being reinstated on August 1 are two very different propositions. The league will need time to consider the request and to evaluate Gordon before making a decision.
In the interim, the Browns will be completing training camp and the preseason and otherwise making plans for the 2016 regular season. At some point, the team’s plans will no longer include Gordon. That day is getting closer and closer, especially since it feels as if Gordon is farther and farther away from getting back into the league.
Meanwhile, the NFL needs to consider the broader question of whether it wants to push players out of football at a time when there’s a perception that an increasing number of players are walking away from the game. Although the supply of capable players far outpaces the demand, at some point the NFL needs to ask itself whether the days of playing Big Brother to men who choose to smoke marijuana in the privacy of their own homes are gone for good.