A source close to Patriots WR Josh Gordon tells Doug Kyed of NESN that his latest suspension stems from diluted drug test samples.
Kyed reports that Gordon is currently receiving treatment at an inpatient facility in Florida and has been granted freedom to work out based on time spent in the facility.
A source tells Kyed that the Patriots are actually paying for Gordon’s treatment and the team, the NFL and the NFLPA are all working with him to treat his drug addiction in the hope of him functioning both in life and football.
Last month, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Patriots had an elaborate security plan in place for Gordon to try to prevent him from a slip-up. New England reportedly assigned people to be with Gordon at all times so that he could avoid relapse, but even that wasn’t enough.
According to Schefter, sources believe Gordon somehow eluded New England’s security their bye weekend, when the Patriots had their weekend off.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that Gordon was suspended indefinitely for multiple missed tests and his failed drug test was for more than marijuana.
Rapoport added that Gordon will need to show the NFL that he’s been clean for a sustained period of time to return. According to Rapoport, it’s possible Gordon could be back for the 2019 season.
Gordon initially announced that he was stepping away to focus on his mental health before reports later surfaced that he was being suspended for violating terms of his reinstatement under the substance abuse policy and NFL later confirmed the news.
Gordon, 27, is a former second-round supplemental pick of the Browns back in 2012. Suspensions forced Gordon to sit out the 2015 and 2016 seasons but he was reinstated in November of last year and finished out the seasons with the Browns.
The Browns re-signed Gordon to a one-year exclusive rights contract worth $790,000 but was traded to the Patriots for a 2019 fifth-round pick.
In 2018, Gordon appeared in 12 games for the Patriots and caught 41 passes for 737 yards receiving and four touchdowns.
We’ll have more regarding Gordon as the news is available.
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