Wes Welker's suspension officially-officially over; NFL approves new drug policy

Wes Welker's four-game suspension for amphetamine use is over two games early.

Peyton Manning's slot receiver will be eligible to return to the field in Week 3 following the NFL's approval of a revised performance enhancing drug policy, the NFL and NFLPA announced in a joint statement.

Discipline of players for certain violations in the 2014 league year will be adjusted to reflect the new policy. Wes Welker of the Denver Broncos, Orlando Scandrick of the Dallas Cowboys and Stedman Bailey of the St. Louis Rams will be eligible to return to their teams this week.

The NFLPA voted unanimously to accept the policy last Friday, but unresolved issues on the NFL's side delayed the final approval of the deal and the reinstatement of Welker. Some of those issues remain; the release indicates that these changes are only enforced across the performance enhancing drug policy. Changes to the substance abuse policy are still being negotiated.

The new drug policy is retroactively effective for violations that took place since March, the start of the league year. Therefore Welker's May violation falls under the new policy, which moves his punishment under the jurisdiction of the substance abuse policy instead of the PED policy.

Welker has been "chomping at the bit" to get back, Manning told reporters last week, working out in Denver and waiting for word. He has been cleared to play from the NFL's concussion protocol.

Welcome back, Welker.