The Cleveland Browns and Josh Gordon, Wes Welker, the Broncos as well as fantasy football owners are thrilled about the new drug policy, as the suspended WR likely will have his penalty reduced from a one year suspension and that makes him a major fantasy pickup for any league that has him on the waiver wire after previously being knocked out for the 2014 season following his positive drug test.
According to ESPN.com, the drug policy vote could come this week and Adam Schefter reports that the league likely will reduce Gordon's suspension from a year to eight games once it's approved. Gordon and Wes Welker would both benefit from the change in the policy and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said he would be ready to bring Gordon into the mix right away when he can return. The NFL needed to do something, because with the Ray Rice situation it made the penalty for Gordon look even worse.
Gordon was hit with a suspension for an offseason drug test for the very scary and horrible drug marijuana that apparently is worse than domestic violence. Gordon was suspended for the season and he claimed that it was secondhand smoke that triggered the positive test, but the NFL did not take his word for it and after he appealed, it was denied. So the NFL took Ray Rice, a domestic abuser at his word, but did not afford Josh Gordon the same chance. Either way, Gordon should have his suspension reduced now and that is a good thing for the players and obviously for fantasy football owners.
Last season Gordon was the best receiver in the league and he led the NFL in receiving yards despite missing two games. Gordon had a career year with 82 catches for 1646 yards and he was as explosive as anyone in the league. Gordon was the first WR with back to back 200 yard games and now he has the chance to play this year. ESPN.com reports that Welker also could be back in action with the new policy and that Gordon could have his suspension go from a year to between six and 10 games overall.
Gordon made the Pro Bowl last season and Welker was expected to be one of the top Wrs for the Broncos. Welker was hit with a suspension for amphetamines and he contested his suspension and now both players look to benefit from the new policy. The NFL has a hard stance on marijuana despite the fact that the country and public do not and also they have a harsher policy on nonviolent drug users over violent men who punch out their wives. Think about that.
The Browns need Gordon back and they would love to have him out on the field and while that may not come until later in the season, it's still a big move. The team signed Miles Austin and Andrew Hawkins in the offseason and getting Gordon back into the starting lineup would be huge for the Browns.
