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Report: Gordon's FA status won't be hurt by camp absence

While troubled wide receiver Josh Gordon continues to be absent from Cleveland Brown training camp, the team seemingly remains in his corner.

One such piece of evidence: the Browns are reportedly working with the NFL to prevent Gordon from losing eligibility for an accrued season which could damage his future free-agent status.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, while an NFL source says that Gordon is "getting closer" to joining his Browns teammates at training camp, he will not arrive by a Tuesday NFL deadline regarding free agency accrual. Per league rules, Tuesday marks 30 days before the start of the 2018 regular season. Those players who do not report by the 30-day deadline fail to accrue an additional season toward free agency.

Per Cabot's report, Gordon only has two accrued seasons because of suspensions that have cost him 56 out of 96 possible games. If the Browns did not intervene as Gordon continues his drug treatment rehabilitation plan in Gainesville, Fla., he would become an exclusive rights free agent for a second straight season instead of reaching restricted free agency status by not reporting before Tuesday.

Cabot reports that the Browns are trying to make sure that Gordon is "not pressured by any deadlines to end" the treatment plan working with the same counselors that helped him during a 90-day inpatient rehab stay last summer and fall.

Gordon has been on Cleveland's non-football illness reserve list after he signed a one-year exclusive rights free agent contract for the 2018 season worth $790,000. Gordon will make the minimum salary for a player with two accrued NFL seasons. While Gordon was drafted in the 2012 supplemental draft, he missed the majority of two full seasons serving NFL suspensions for drug use.

After leading the NFL in receiving yards in 2013, he has played only 10 games since, including five last season.

In 40 career games, Gordon has 179 receptions for 3,089 yards and 15 touchdowns.

--Field Level Media