As Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon remains suspended indefinitely for failing a drug test, he is fighting a one-game suspension he was given in Week 17 this past season after he missed a team practice.
The NFL Players Association officially filed a grievance against the Browns on Tuesday after speculation of it happening was mentioned over a week ago. A league source told Northeast Ohio Media Group that Gordon said was never told he had been late to "five or six other team functions," which resulted in his suspension.
Gordon reportedly missed the team's walk-through the day before the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens because he attended a party at teammate Johnny Manziel's house the previous night. As a result, the Browns suspended the 23-year-old without pay - costing him $48,564 - and told him he had been late "about a half-dozen" other times.
It appears as if the grievance has to deal with an issue regarding free agency.
"If Gordon wins the grievance and then avoids any further problems after he's reinstated following his current suspension, he becomes a free agent after the 2016 season," according to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports' ProFootballTalk. "If Gordon's suspension is upheld, he won't become a free agent until after the 2017 season."
The reason being because a player must be active for six games for it to account for a "season." The Browns' one-game suspension, coupled with his 10-game ban for failing a drug test, would mean Gordon only participated in five games this past season, thus prolonging his time under team control.
Last week Browns' owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters there was "no huge hurry" to release Gordon, and this whole situation may explain why. Gordon cannot apply for reinstatement until after the 2015 season, which means he will not be playing at all next year. If his one-game suspension is upheld, then that means the Browns will have him for the 2016 and 2017 seasons at a bargain price - if he stays out of trouble and is reinstated.
It's unknown when a ruling will be made on Gordon's grievance, but it'll surely be monitored closely.
