Browns WR Josh Gordon Will Be A Restricted Free Agent Next Year, Due To 2014 Suspensions

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing league sources, reports Browns WR Josh Gordon will be a restricted free agent in 2017, despite the fact that he taken in the 2012 supplemental draft.

This stems from the fact that Gordon was limited to appearing in just five games during the 2014 season, due to a 10-game suspension coupled and a one-game suspension imposed by the Browns.

Gordon will have just three accrued NFL seasons by the start of free agency next year. In order to become an unrestricted free agent, a player needs four accrued seasons of NFL experience.

According to Florio, Gordon did file a grievance challenging the suspension, but it was later dropped.

Yesterday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that multiple teams have reached out to the Browns to inquire about potential trades involving Gordon, but Cleveland is not looking to trade him.

Gordon, 25, is a former second-round supplemental pick of the Browns back in 2012. He would have had just one more year remaining on his four-year, $5.342 million rookie contract that$3.8 million included guaranteed had he not been suspended during the 2014 season.

In 2014, Gordon appeared in five games and caught 24 passes for 303 yards receiving, but didn’t score a touchdown.