Josh Gordon expected to apply for NFL reinstatement soon

Wide receiver Josh Gordon is expected to apply for reinstatement soon and is hopeful that the NFL will clear him to return before training camp starts in July — if, in fact, the NFL is cleared to begin.

Gordon has had a complicated career in the NFL. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented pass-catchers in the league, but he has struggled to stay on the field due to his behavior off it. Gordon was named an All-Pro in just his second season in the league but missed most of his third season after being suspended for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He ended up getting suspended for two seasons and has been trying to get his career back on track since, to mixed results.

Most recently, Gordon played six games for the New England Patriots and five games for the Seattle Seahawks last season before he was once again indefinitely suspended for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs and substance abuse. Gordon played enough games to become a free agent, assuming that he is reinstated by the league.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Gordon is in good health and ready to play if and when the NFL allows him to again. While it may have seemed unlikely that the NFL would give Gordon another chance, his odds of being reinstated seem higher after Aldon Smith was cleared by commissioner Roger Goodell to return to the NFL this week.

Smith hasn't played in the NFL since 2015 due to several off-field incidents, including a DUI hit-and-run and being arrested for domestic abuse. His reinstatement indicates that Gordon should be given the opportunity to return, assuming the reports are true that he is in good health. If Gordon is reinstated, the big question becomes what team he ends up with, as he presents a clear risk with high potential.