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The NFL and NFL Player's Association have been negotiating on a revamped drug testing policy that could see Wes Welker reinstated early, according to multiple reports. Those negotiations reached a critical state Monday, as the NFL's 32 player reps will vote on the policy Tuesday, ESPN reports.
NFLPA will have 32 player reps vote Tuesday on a proposed overhauled drug policy after daylong negotiations, per sources.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) September 9, 2014
How this impacts the Broncos: Wes Welker's violation of the NFL's PED policy for offseason amphetamine use would move under the jurisdiction of its general substance abuse policy, converting his automatic four-game suspension under the PED policy into a warning for first-time offenders in the substance abuse policy. That means Welker could be reinstated as soon as Tuesday, if the NFL reps agree and the agreement is indeed retroactive for recent suspensions, as has been widely reported.
And it means, if approved, that the Kansas City Chiefs can expect a full-powered Denver Broncos offense in Week 2.
Update: Mortensen reports that the potential reinstatement of Welker and Browns receiver Josh Gordon is actually a sticking point in the negotiations.
One late sticking point is that the league has received complaints and concerns from owners regarding possible reinstatement for recently suspended players such as Josh Gordon of the Cleveland Browns and Wes Welker of the Denver Broncos, who would not have been suspended under the proposed policy. Those owners were displeased that a new agreement would not necessarily alter the standing of their own suspended players.
While we have no idea who's complaining (cough Robert Kraft cough)... yeah, it does feel a bit like preferential treatment. We'll see how it votes out.