Dion Jordan reinstated by NFL ending 15-month suspension

Miami Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan is being reinstated by the NFL, according to a report. Jordan had been serving a year-long suspension for failing the league’s substance abuse policy. The suspension began in April 2015.

Armando Salguero added to the conditions of Jordan’s reinstatement:

The NFL released a statement on the reinstatement of Jordan:

Commissioner Rodger Goodell notified Dion Jordan of the Miami Dolphins today that he has been reinstated to the NFL on a conditional basis.

Jordan may join the Dolphins at training camp and participate in meetings, conditioning work and similar activities. Once arrangements have been confirmed regarding Jordan’s clinical resources in Miami, he will be permitted to participate in all preseason activities, including practices and games.

Prior to the start of the regular season, Jordan will meet with the NFL to review his progress. Based on his compliance and engagement with his program and resources, he will be permitted to participate in all regular season activities beginning in Week 1. He will be evaluated later in the season for full reinstatement.

Jordan has been suspended indefinitely since April 2015 without pay following multiple violations of the NFL-NFLPA Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

Jordan was the third-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Dolphins, who made an aggressive trade up in the selection process to grab the player they wanted. In his first two seasons, Jordan played 26 games with one defensive start. He has tallied three passes defensed, three sacks, and 46 tackles.

The now-ended suspension was the third of Jordan’s career. He was initially suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season for a failure of the substance abuse policy. That was the year where the NFL and the NFL Players Association re-worked the substance abuse policy, which included shortening Jordan’s suspension to two games. However, he again violated the policy and a four-game suspension was added to the end of his two-game suspension.

The year-long suspension came after Jordan provided a diluted sample in the NFL’s drug testing. A diluted sample is considered a positive test under the league rules.

Jordan is now eligible to return to the Dolphins and take part in training camp, which opened on Thursday. The team could look to move Jordan from defensive end to linebacker this year, a move that would look to take advantage of Jordan’s athleticism and get him on the field more than he would be if he continued to serve as a depth defensive end.

Jordan is entering the third year of his four-year rookie contract, after the league tolled his deal for the suspended year. He will count $5.3 million salary cap against the salary cap, with $3.1 million in dead money if he is released. The team still also has the fifth-year option available to it next year if Jordan cements his place on the roster this year.