Report: Broncos WR Wes Welker’s Suspension Could Be Lifted

Jan 28, 2014; New York, NY, USA; General view of Old Spice display featuring cutout of Denver Broncos receiver Wes Welker (not pictured) at the Super Bowl XLVIII media center at the Sheraton New York, Times Square. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The roller coaster that has been the Wes Welker suspension story took another very interesting turn on Thursday night, just before the start of the NFL’s kickoff game featuring Seattle and Green Bay.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and NBC reported that the NFL owners and NFLPA could soon agree upon a new drug testing policy that would change the use of amphetamines from a performance-enhancing offense to a substance-abuse offense.

Under the rules, a first-time offender in the performance-enhancing drug use policy is automatically suspended four games. A first-time offender in the substance-abuse area does not get suspended at all, thus meaning that Welker’s suspension could possibly still be lifted.

It seems like a pipe dream, but there’s a chance this deal could get done before Sunday.

Florio also reported it’s possible that Welker could have his suspension reduced. This would certainly open up a can of worms, but if Welker’s suspension is lifted or reduced at all, it would be great news for the Broncos, to be sure.

Welker’s absence means the Broncos will be without one of Peyton Manning’s top targets on third down and in the red zone, two areas the Broncos were dominant.

We’ll have to see how this all plays out, but hopefully it’s not just a nugget of false hope for the Broncos.