NFL teams
Pat McManamon, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Browns' Josh Gordon nears hearing

NFL, Cleveland Browns

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns may know Josh Gordon's status for the 2014 season within a week or two of the opening of training camp on July 26.

"I know the hearing [into Gordon's possible suspension] has been scheduled," Browns coach Mike Pettine said Monday. "I don't have the exact date."

A source close to the situation said the hearing would be within the next two weeks. If a decision on Gordon's status for failing a drug test in the offseason comes out of the hearing, that means the Browns could know soon after. However, the timetable remains in the hands of the league.

"Until it all comes down, we're really in the same situation of waiting," Pettine said.

Pettine admitted that Gordon's arrest for suspicion of DWI in Raleigh, North Carolina, was troubling, but he did not want to comment specifically on the matter.

The team has been told, sources said, that because Gordon's blood-alcohol count was tested at .09, just over the legal limit of .08, it's possible he could have the charges reduced.

Pettine was not dismissing the seriousness of the situation.

"It is concerning and you want to address it, but until we know where he stands with the league we don't know really where he stands with us," Pettine said. "I've stated before that we've had the meetings, we've discussed all the options, from the best case to the worst case. And we're still in that mode of waiting."

Pettine indicated, though, that releasing Gordon -- as advocated by Hall of Fame receiver and ESPN analyst Cris Carter -- was not in the plans. Carter said the only thing that saved him from addiction was being released by the Philadelphia Eagles. Carter said he had a great support system with the Eagles, but he still could not come to grips with his issues until he was released.

"I think every case is different," he said. "That obviously worked well for [Carter]. I think we're going to be of the mindset that if we can find ... the intersection of what's best for Josh and what's best for the Cleveland Browns that I would prefer to pursue that route."

Even if that meant waiting a year for Gordon to return?

"I'm not big into hypotheticals," Pettine said.

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