Report: Browns WR Josh Gordon Facing Year-Long Suspension

According to T.J. Quinn and Don Van Natta Jr. of ESPN.com, Browns WR Josh Gordon is facing a season-long suspension after he failed a second drug test months ago.

• Mary Kay Cabot reports that Gordon wouldn’t receive a year-long suspension, but would instead be “kicked out of the league.”
• Cabot adds that Gordon could apply for reinstatement after sitting out a year.
• According to Cabot, the Browns have known about Gordon’s suspension for two weeks now.
• Mike Garafolo reports that the length of Gordon’s suspension is “up for debate.”

Gordon declined to comment on the matter after he spoke to ESPN earlier in the day, but did say that the report was “not true.”

“That’s something you’re going to have to talk to [agent] Drew Rosenhaus about,” Gordon said. “I really don’t know anything about it.”

A source tells “Outside the Lines” that Gordon received a letter from a league physician stating he had failed a drug test and tested positive for marijuana. Gordon later received a separate letter in which he was informed that he is now facing 16-game suspension, but will have the right to appeal.

Assuming this is accurate, it would be a major blow to the Browns as they prepare for the 2014 season.

Dane Brugler spoke with a “high ranking person” from the Browns previous regime who told him: “[Gordon] can’t be trusted.”

• Brugler adds that the Browns knew about this situation on Thursday.

Gordon, 23, is coming off of a breakout season and is clearly the Browns best offensive weapon. You would have to think the Browns will look to add a receiver in the second-round just to mitigate the loss the Gordon and add another long-term option at receiver.

Last year, Gordon caught 87 receptions for 1,646 yards receiving and scored nine touchdowns for Cleveland.

We have the Browns taking USC WR Marqise Lee in our recently posted second-round Mock Draft.