Josh Gordon Must Take Advantage of 2nd Chance When He Returns to Browns

It appears Josh Gordon will get to play football this season after all. The NFL and its Players Association are putting the finishing touches on a revised drug policy that will overturn his season-long suspension and give him a second chance to help the Cleveland Browns.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports an agreement was reached to reduce the wide receiver's ban to 10 games instead of the full 16, even though it wasn't immediately announced as the sides work out the remaining details of the new deal:

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 notes Gordon will no longer be barred from the team facility as part of the suspension:

Finally, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds that last season's leading receiver pleaded guilty to a DWI before the new rules were introduced, which allows him to avoid further punishment:

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Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Gordon pleaded guilty now to ensure that he will not receive an automatic, mandatory two-game suspension for the DUI charges. (Under the old drug policy, a suspension is possible for first-offense DUI, if a player has had other issues under the substance-abuse policy.)

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It's the resolution Gordon has been waiting for. He's been the player most in limbo over the past few weeks because he was expected to miss the entire campaign rather than just a couple games. Playing in Week 12 is a major change from 2015.

He had previously told Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN that he wasn't going to follow the daily updates, which was starting to take its toll.

"The whole being in limbo thing, I'm over it," Gordon said. "I'm not waiting on the edge of my seat anymore."

Now he's got an answer and can begin the process of moving forward.

Regardless of an individual's stance on the initial punishment, the reduced punishment or the new drug policy once it's fully released, the overarching theme remains the same. The rules are based on an agreement between the NFL and the Players Association and must be followed.

Gordon is returning to a team that's 1-1. It has an extremely reasonable schedule ahead, giving fans in Cleveland renewed hope of a charge into the playoffs this season. The knowledge they are getting their top target back for the final push will only bolster those dreams.

So there are a lot of people counting on him both inside the organization and throughout the fanbase. There's no more room for excuses.

The wait between returning to the facility and actually playing in a game is still a long one. Barring any further changes, he would return for the team's Week 12 clash with the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 23, more than two months from now.

There can't be any off-field incidents during that time. Gordon needs to prove he's taking his second chance seriously and is learning from past mistakes.

Jason Miller/Getty Images

He's one of the most talented athletes in the league. He can do special things on the field and the league needs players like him to shine. But, at the end of the day, rules are rules, even if not everybody agrees whether the punishment fits the crime.

Only time will tell whether Gordon has learned that lesson. He's been given a second chance to participate this season and, if everything plays out just right, he could be the difference maker as the Browns make a late push.

That's certainly a better story than the alternative if he ends up in the negative spotlight once again.