Josh Gordon Petition for Reinstatement Reportedly Denied: Comments, Reaction

The NFL reportedly denied Josh Gordon's petition for reinstatement Tuesday, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot and NFL Media's Albert Breer. According to Breer, the Cleveland Browns wide receiver can reapply on Aug. 1. 

The development comes a day after Fox Sports' Mike Garafolo reported Gordon failed a drug test in March. Both of his "A" and "B" samples reportedly tested positive for marijuana and dilute, and despite the fact the amount of marijuana didn't meet the required threshold, having a diluted sample equates to testing positive.

ESPN's Adam Schefter didn't rule out the chance Gordon could see the field in 2016:

Gordon's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told Pro Football Talk Live's Mike Florio on Friday he believes Gordon will return for the coming season: 

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I think Josh is going to be back this year. I really believe that. There’s no question that this has been a tough year for Josh being away from the NFL. The leak to the media about a 'positive test' was very frustrating and painful for him. With all that being said, we’re in a position right now where we’re battling to prevent that from happening again. The reality with Josh is he’s had dozens if not hundreds of tests since he was suspended last year. He has worked incredibly hard with the league, complying, doing the right things. This is a young man that’ll be back in the NFL. He will have another shot at being reinstated before the start of the season and I’m confident between now and then that he’ll take the necessary steps to be reinstated.

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ESPN.com's Tony Grossi reported the Browns aren't looking to make a roster move as a result of Tuesday's news, which could mean the team is banking on him being available to play at a later date.

"I always learned something a long time ago—you never worry about something you never had," said Browns head coach Hue Jackson at the NFL's annual meeting last month, per Cabot. "I've never had any contact with him, so I'm going to plan on what's in our building now and go from there."

Cleveland selected the 24-year-old in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft. His impact on the team was immediate. He caught 50 passes for 805 yards and five touchdowns in 2012, and then in 2013, he led the NFL in receiving yards (1,646) despite being suspended for the first two games of the year.

The NFL originally suspended him for the entire 2014 season for a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy, but the punishment was reduced to 10 games after the league and NFL Players Association agreed to a new drug-testing policy in September 2014. Gordon then earned an indefinite suspension in February 2015.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Jackson wouldn't commit to playing Gordon right away should the league reinstate him, per Cabot. "It's like any other player. I'll go through the process of spending time with him and see if it's the right fit for us. Obviously he's a very talented individual, but at the same time, it's got to fit right for us as we move forward in this situation."

There's no question the Browns could use Gordon if he can return to his 2013 self. His absence has magnified the team's lack of a true No. 1 receiver, and having a player of his caliber would greatly help a passing game that is in flux. Although Cleveland signed Robert Griffin III, there's no telling whether RG3 can be a consistent starting quarterback or if the team even plans to make him the starter coming out of training camp.

At this point, the Browns should be cautiously optimistic about Gordon's status. If he's deemed eligible, then it will be a nice boost for the team. If he's not, then Cleveland didn't stake its entire offseason plan around his being on the active roster.