Josh Gordon still on Seattle Seahawks roster, but his future and details on latest ‘setback’ remain unclear

SEATTLE – For now, Josh Gordon will remain on the Seahawks’ roster.

But that was about the only certainty regarding Gordon and his future a day after the NFL determined he had not satisfied the terms of his conditional reinstatement from suspension and is again ineligible to practice or play in games.

One NFL Network report stated Gordon had “a setback” in his battle with substance abuse. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he could not say specifically what Gordon’s setback involved – whether it was a failed test or something related to the other conditions of the reinstatement, which have not been detailed publicly.

“We’re not able to comment about any of it, really, other than to say that he’s still coming in and working out with our trainers and getting his work done conditioning-wise, and we’ll revisit it again next week,” Carroll said.

That implied the team thinks there’s a chance Gordon could become eligible again this season.

But asked if Gordon’s situation is something that will be evaluated each week, Carroll hedged, saying, “I don’t know any of that. I really don’t have any information.”

Asked about one national report that stated Gordon had failed a drug test, Carroll said again he couldn’t comment on the nature of Gordon’s setback, other than to say his situation is back to the “status quo” it has been since he was conditionally reinstated by the league this month.

The Seahawks and the NFL announced Monday that Gordon had been activated to the 53-player roster, and Carroll said the plan was for Gordon to play Sunday against the Rams.

Gordon was suspended on Dec. 16, 2019, for violations of the NFL’s policies on performance-enhancing drugs and substances of abuse. He applied for reinstatement in June, and the NFL ruled Dec. 3 that he was conditionally reinstated and would be eligible to practice for the first time this week.

But with Tuesday’s news Gordon is again listed simply as a roster-exempt player, unable to practice or play and not counting against the active roster, which is back to 52 players.

Carroll said Gordon was “frustrated” by the latest turn of events in a career that has included eight league or team suspensions for issues related to substance abuse. Carroll otherwise didn’t go into much detail on any possible discussions with Gordon or anything related to the situation.

“Certainly disappointed not to have him, for his sake and for a lot of things,” Carroll said of Gordon, who played in five games for Seattle last season with seven catches for 139 yards after having been claimed off waivers from New England. “But we’ll stay with it, and we’ll see what happens next week.”

ESPN also reported that Gordon had “a setback in his recovery from substance abuse” and that he is “grappling with the reality that he might never be allowed to play again,” with this attempt at a return viewed as potentially his final strike.

That Gordon, 29, remains able to still take part in meetings, though, could indicate that the setback was not a failed test but something related to another condition of his reinstatement.

Seattle now has a roster opening it can fill by Saturday for the Rams game.

Seattle could add to a receiving corps that is down to four. The Seahawks on Monday waived Penny Hart to make room for Gordon but were able to re-sign Hart to the practice squad Wednesday when he went unclaimed. The team could elevate Hart off the practice squad for Sunday’s game without putting him on the 53, as it could for other receivers on the practice squad, such as 2019 draft pick John Ursua or former University of Washington standout Aaron Fuller.

The Seahawks also could try to get something out of veteran free agent Phillip Dorsett, who has not played all season and had foot surgery in November.

Carroll on Wednesday indicated there is at least some hope Dorsett might play this year.

“I just saw Philip in the weight room before the walkthrough today, and he’s moving around pretty well,” Carroll said. “So he’s out of the (walking) boot and trying to make the transition now. I don’t know how long it takes from this point. But he’s made strides forward that he’s at least to that portion of his workout now.”

The Seahawks also could get some receiving help of a different sort this week with the expected return of veteran tight end Greg Olsen, who went on injured reserve last month because of a foot injury.

Carroll said Olsen was expected to practice with no limitations Wednesday with the expectation that he will play against the Rams. Olsen would have to be activated to the 53-player roster and could take the spot created by Gordon’s setback.

“He had a really solid week last week,” Carroll said. “He looked very good. It was really close enough that he had a chance to play last week.

“We thought it would just be such a shock that he was so good, so soon, that we just didn’t want to press our luck on it, so he’s back in action this week, and we’re really happy to get him back out there. He has to make it through the week and all that, like always, but he’s going full go today.”