Browns 'rooting' for Josh Gordon, aren't counting on comeback

The Cleveland Browns are taking the "out of sight, out of mind" approach when it comes to suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon.

Browns executive vice president Sashi Brown discussed Gordon's situation with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday morning, explaining that the team was never counting on having him back.

"Once Josh was suspended, we organizationally set our mind frame to not counting on him coming back, and I think that's the only healthy way to operate and the way we continue to look at it,'' Brown said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "And if Josh is fortunate enough to be reinstated, obviously we'll have some discussions with him at that time.''

The NFL denied Gordon's petition for reinstatement Tuesday after he reportedly failed an NFL-administered drug test in March. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said Gordon can reapply later in the year.

"In the meantime, the main thing that I think I take away from it is I just hope Josh gets to a place where he's able to be reinstated and I don't want to say his life's not together but whatever might be preventing him from being reinstated he can have addressed and get on a good path moving forward,'' Brown said. "He's got a bright future ahead of him and he's still young as heck. So we're rooting for him and if it comes to pass that he's back in the league great."