Suspended Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon reportedly hopes to be reinstated by the NFL next month.
Gordon went to rehabilitation two months ago in cooperation with the league in hopes of returning to the field in late September, BleacherReport.com's Jason Cole reported Friday. It would be Gordon's fourth known stint in rehab.
An NFL spokesman said the league had no comment.
Last week during a fan forum with Browns season-ticket holders, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said reinstating Gordon was "not something under active consideration" to his knowledge.
Gordon has missed 43 of the past 48 games because of recurring violations of the league's substance-abuse policy. His most recent petition for reinstatement was rejected by the NFL in May, whereupon the league told the 2013 All-Pro selection he could reapply this fall.
In the past year, the Browns have vacillated between whether they would welcome Gordon back or get rid of him should he return.
In March, head of football operations Sashi Brown said, "we're not in a position at wide receiver to turn down a guy like Josh if we feel like he's settled himself."
Last week at the fan forum, Brown said, "The most important thing for Josh is for Josh as a young man to get himself to get to a point where he's past some of the issues that have prevented him from participating."
