Browns WR Josh Gordon “Very Close” to Return; Might Play Thursday

In a world where wide receiver Josh Gordon gets yet another chance to play football. Is this a real world? Why yes it is.

The young receiver has had his troubles the past few years, but this offseason NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated him on a conditional basis after he was suspended indefinitely for multiple drug violations.

Gordon might just play in this Thursday’s preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons. His status is currently “to be determined.”

It will be exciting to watch quarterback Robert Griffin III throw to his old college teammate. They need this preseason playing time to get on the same page when Gordon comes back in week 5 against the New England Patriots.

Head coach Hue Jackson told the media that Gordon is “getting close, very close” to a return to the football field. Jackson told the media that Gordon needed to lose some weight after he didn’t play football for an entire year.

I think some of its come off already. I can’t give you the number but it has come off. He’s working hard. He is just a big man. He is a big man, and we’ll get him to where he needs to be. I feel good about that.

A reporter asked if his conditioning will hold him back from playing in Thursday night’s preseason game. He responded with:

No, I don’t think it will be about conditioning. There’s been a process that we’ve put in place to get him to where he needs to be overall, not just the conditioning, not just this or that. It’s encompassing everything to make sure that when he is out here, he’s out here for the time he’s here – obviously, we know he won’t be around for the first four weeks – and then making sure that after that time he’ll be where he needs to be when he’s able to get back.

If you are excited to see the young receiver come back and play in the preseason you might just get your wish sooner rather than later. He is a scratch for this upcoming game but just might see some playing time. We will have to wait and see.