Josh Gordon

Browns’ Josh Gordon Won’t Request Trade

December 21st, 2017 at 4:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Josh Gordon is back with the Browns, but some have wondered if he’s there to stay. On Thursday, Gordon said that he does not plan to ask for a trade this offseason, an indicator that he may remain in Cleveland if new GM John Dorsey wants to keep him.

“You can ask for a trade whenever you want to really, but that’s not really on my mind, man,” he said (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “I’m just glad to be back.”

Gordon has spent much of his Browns tenure off of the field. When on the field, he hasn’t been on the winning side of too many games. He’s watched former teammates Joe Haden and Kenny Britt wind up with Super Bowl contenders, but he says he wants to help Cleveland turn things around.

Dorsey, for his part, has indicated that he sees Gordon as a part of the team’s future.

“Josh is a very, very, very talented football player,” Dorsey said in a recent radio interview. “And it always helps to have talented guys on there. The one thing about Josh, what I’ve seen is and I’ve heard, he’s worked very hard to turn his personal life around. My Catholicism has taught me that, you know what, give every man a second chance in life. And as long as he’s committed to the Cleveland Browns, I’ll tell you that the Cleveland Browns are committed to him, to help him not only be a good football player but a good man off the field.”

Gordon, 27 in April, has 12 catches for 201 yards and one score in three games this year.

Browns Activate Josh Gordon

November 30th, 2017 at 5:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns have officially moved Josh Gordon from the commissioner’s exempt list to their 53-man roster, putting him in position to play in a regular-season game for the first time since December 2014.

Gordon will also be a starter against the Chargers on Sunday despite the three-year absence, with Hue Jackson emphatically confirming as such on Thursday.

“Yeah, he’s going to start,” Jackson told media, including Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “Are you kidding me? I’m surprised you would ask.”

Cleveland cut safety Justin Currie to make room for Gordon on the roster, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports (on Twitter).

There haven’t been any setbacks in Gordon’s return this time, and the 26-year-old former All-Pro will join Corey Coleman in the Browns’ lineup in Los Angeles. Gordon did not look like his dominant 2013 version upon returning from a suspension in November 2014, but he shined during the 2016 preseason before another substance-abuse ban put his NFL career on the ropes. Jackson, who was ready to move on from Gordon last season, has raved about the talented pass-catcher throughout his time practicing with the team this month.

The Browns have struggled throughout the season in assembling a wide receiver crew. This marks the most depth they’ve had at that spot in a long time. Gordon returning for just five games in 2017 will keep him under contract for two more seasons in Cleveland.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Haden, Suggs

November 27th, 2017 at 7:32pm CST by GregGoldstein

Josh Gordon‘s long road back the NFL is almost complete as the team is likely to reactivate him later in the week, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot reports that the team has the ability to activate him to the roster today, but it unlikely to do so in order to hold onto a roster spot.

The talented wide receiver is expected to see his first regular season action in two years when the Browns take on the Chargers on Sunday. Gordon has made his mistakes in the past, but has caused no such problem since he returned to practice last week.

With the Browns potentially finishing the year as one of the league’s worst teams ever, being able to see an impact player return is certainly some much needed good news. He’ll likely start alongside fellow wideout Corey Coleman should everything go according to plan throughout the practice week.

In other Browns news, head coach Hue Jackson said after practice today that the coaching staff will dicuss whether to replace rookie kicker Zane Gonzalez after his struggles continued in Week 12, reports Cabot in a separate tweet. However, Jackson did note that Gonzalez did well to bounce back and convert two field goals after he missed an attempt from 43 yards earlier in the game. Parting ways with the rookie kicker would represent another draft blunder as Cleveland used a seventh round pick in order to bring in the 22-year-old from Arizona State.
The Steelers managed to hold off the scuffling Packers on Sunday night football yesterday, but were still clearly exposed in the secondary by some talented playmakers and a backup quarterback. Part of the reason for the offensive display could be due to the absence of veteran cornerback Joe Haden. While the team does expect the former Brown to return, it’s unlikely that the defensive back will see the field for a few more weeks, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). La Canfora did add that the Week 13 status for rookie wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster remains a little more up in the air at this point.
Terrell Suggs is currently playing in his 14th year in the league, though the 35-year-old is still a more than a capable puss rusher coming off the edge. However, while Suggs’ play has kept him as a valuable member of the defense, the veteran knows that his career could be winding down this season, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Hensley notes that cutting Suggs this summer could give the Ravens an extra $4MM in cap space, but despite the harsh realities of the league Suggs knows that ultimately the NFL is a business. “I would really love to be in one place my whole career. Not many players can say they did that,” Suggs told ESPN before his 207th game for the Ravens. “But I also understand this is a business and that might not happen. I’m pretty much making my peace with it now. I’m preparing myself for it just in case. What will be, will be.” Suggs does still lead the team with 7.5 sacks and has forced three fumbles, so it should be noted that actually getting rid of the veteran edge defender could make the Baltimore defense worse. The team has made a point in drafting three young pass rushers in the last two seasons, including Matt Judon, Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams. Nevertheless, Suggs can only play well on the field and let the chips fall where they may at this point.
The Bengals have avoided a suspension to one of their key defenders in linebacker Vontaze Burfict, according to Jim Owczarski of Cincinnati.com. The energetic defender was flagged for unnecessary roughness for hitting a defenseless receiver in yesterday’s win over the Browns. Burfict has made a number of boneheaded plays throughout his career, which include him getting ejected for making contact with an official and for his unsportsmanlike penalty against the Steelers earlier in the season. He’ll avoid game punishment here, but a fine is certainly possible.

Browns To Activate Josh Gordon

November 26th, 2017 at 10:21am CST by Rory Parks

Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is eligible to return to live action next week against the Chargers, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link), the team does plan to activate him and he will play next Sunday.

Gordon, who has been plagued by suspensions throughout his career, was conditionally reinstated on November 1, and he has reportedly looked like his old self in his subsequent workouts at the team facility. He apparently kept himself in good shape during his recovery from drug and alcohol problems, and all reports concerning Gordon since his reinstatement have been glowing.

Gordon, of course, produced one of the best seasons by a receiver in NFL history in 2013 when he led the league with 1,646 yards in just 14 games, but he has played just five games since that breakout campaign. His next game will be his first since 2014.

Gordon’s business manager, Michael Johnson, said Gordon is in the best mental state of his life and the Browns have “bought in.” For his part, Gordon is curious to see how effective he can be sober, as he says he has never been sober in his professional career.

If Gordon — who is still just 26 — can stay on the field even as an average player, it would represent one of the more incredible comeback stories in recent memory. Suddenly, there may be a reason to watch the Browns in the final few weeks of the season.

WR Notes: Bills, Titans, Gordon, Jeffery

November 25th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Residing atop the “In the Hunt” section of AFC playoff picture graphics, the Bills will have a tougher time rebounding from their rough road trip to Los Angeles. Kelvin Benjamin isn’t traveling to Kansas City with the team, per the Bills, due to a knee injury. This could be the start of a multi-game absence for the former Panthers wideout, who avoided an ACL tear but did not get off free of lingering knee pain when injured against the Chargers. Benjamin has only played in two of the four Buffalo games since the Bills acquired him at the trade deadline. He has four receptions for 62 yards as a Bill.

Here’s the latest on some wide receiver situations around the league.

Speaking of playoff-contending teams, the Titans may be without Rishard Matthews because of a hamstring injury. Matthews did not practice on Friday. Categorizing Matthews as a game-time decision for Sunday’s Colts tilt, Mike Mularkey said the team’s top wide receiver was given a day off for rest. Players who miss Friday workouts generally do not play on Sundays. Tennessee’s leading receiver at 626 yards, Matthews has not missed a game since joining the Titans last year. The Titans activated Harry Douglas from their PUP list on Saturday, adding an additional veteran to the mix.
Josh Gordon is at his playing weight of 225 and recently blazed to a 4.35-second 40-yard dash while training at N.U.M.A. Speed this offseason, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. Given his condition and Hue Jackson‘s glowing praise, it should be assumed he’s going to play in the Browns‘ Week 13 game against the Chargers. The 26-year-old pass-catcher said learning Jackson’s offense last year helped considerably in this readjustment period. Gordon can still be drug-tested up to 10 times per month.
Doug Pederson was quoted as saying the Eagles would love to retain Alshon Jeffery. But the second-year Philadelphia HC stopped short of saying Jeffery was certain to return. “Alshon’s a guy that you’d love to have continue to work with Carson (Wentz) and have around, and I think it’s a good dynamic to have, and have that stability,” Pederson said, via the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley. “If things work out and we can retain him, it would be great for the chemistry of the offense, and, obviously, those two guys working together in the future.” As of now, Jeffery and Jarvis Landry look to be the top receivers on the 2018 market.

AFC Notes: Gordon, Bolts, Cutler, Steelers

November 24th, 2017 at 3:27pm CST by Micah Powell

Browns receiver Josh Gordon declared himself ready to go despite having another week before he is ready to be activated, according to ESPN’s Tony Grossi.

“It’s been awesome. It’s been a joy. It’s been fun. It’s been exciting,” Gordon said Friday. “I think I knocked that rust off prior to getting back to the building. I think I accomplished that. First day of practice, [I was] able to adjust pretty quickly.”

Anyone worried about Gordon needing time to round into shape hasn’t kept up with his comeback. The former All-Pro receiver has been working out constantly and looks ready to go when the team can activate him in Week 13.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

The Chargers did not escape their Thanksgiving Day bout with the Cowboys unscathed. Kicker Nick Novak sustained a back injury and his status has led the team to possibly tryout kickers next week, Eric Williams of ESPN reports (Twitter link).
Staying in Los Angeles, the Chargers also expect rookie wideout Mike Williams to miss time, though it has ruled out an ACL injury, Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams writes. Williams was carted off the field with an injury during the game.
The Dolphins have ruled out Jay Cutler (concussion) for Week 12 vs. New England, ESPN’s James Walker reports (Twitter link). The team will turn to Matt Moore for the divisional bout.
Steelers rookie wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster has been ruled out of the team’s Sunday night matchup with Green Bay, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. (Twitter link). The first-year receiver from USC has been impressive in recent weeks, averaging 17.2 yards per reception and logging five touchdowns on the season. He will miss the game due to a hamstring injury.

Josh Gordon Set To Return To Practice

November 20th, 2017 at 8:14pm CST by Micah Powell

There isn’t much to celebrate in Cleveland with the Browns remaining as the league’s only winless team. Don’t tell head coach Hue Jackson that. He is in the holiday spirit with Josh Gordon‘s impending return to the practice field on Wednesday.

“It’s like Christmas,” Jackson told reporters, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I get to open a new toy. I know what’s in that box, but I just want to see how good it is. It’s exciting that he’ll be back out there.”

Plagued by suspensions throughout his career, Gordon was reinstated to the league on Nov. 1 and is eligible to return to the field for Cleveland’s Week 13 matchup at the Chargers. Gordon produced one of the best seasons by a receiver in NFL history in 2013 when he led the league with 1,646 yards in just 14 games. He has played just five games since that breakout campaign.

If he is anywhere near his 2013 form, Browns fans will have at least one thing to be thankful for this holiday season.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Grimes, Gordon, Hali, Ford, Stanley, Pats Injuries

November 17th, 2017 at 5:21pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Dolphins season has taken a dive in recent weeks. After starting the year 4-2, the team has lost control of the final AFC Wild Card spot, losing their past three games by a combined 67 points, thanks to blowout defeats at the hands of the Ravens and Panthers. However, while their reliance on Jay Cutler and midseason trade of Jay Ajayi have’t helped, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald opines that the secondary has been one of the major reasons why the Dolphins are not in position to be playoff contenders, particularly in regards to loss of Brent Grimes when the franchise opted to cut him before the 2016 season.

Beasley explains that the front office decided to move on from the veteran cornerback because his age, salary, 2015 performance and even his wife’s antics, but in hindsight the team misses Grimes’ steady contributions. The 34 year-old corner will face his former team for the first time since they let him walk this Sunday. Since his release, the Dolphins have failed to rectify the position with the likes of Byron Maxwell, Tony Lippett, Xavien Howard and Cordrea Tankersley. While Howard and Tankersley are still young, both aren’t guys you can lean on during a playoff run. In comparison, Grimes has played more like a middle of the pack corner this season , grading out as the 60th best corner in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, in Beasley’s opinion the way the team has handled their defensive back situation has been a dud all around over the past few years.

Josh Gordon is back at the Browns practice facility and he has made a positive impression on head coach Hue Jackson, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link). Ulrich passes along that the second-year Cleveland head coach has stated that the wideout has been “involved” and is a “pleasure to be around”. The Browns reporter also states that Jackson expects the talented reciever to be back on the practice field on November 20. Still just 26 years old, Gordon last played for the team in 2014, and has since been suspended from the league for multiple drug violations. The former high supplemental draft pick will be a restricted free agent in 2018, so he needs to make the most of every opportunity to impress the coaching staff if he wants a real chance to continue his playing career.
The Chiefs will be without two key pass rushers when they travel to New Jersey to take on the Giants this Sunday. Both Dee Ford and Tamba Hali have been ruled out for the contest, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com (Twitter link). This is particularly interesting development in the case of Hali because the team took the cautious approach to resting him by putting him on the PUP before the start of the regular season. However, he remains on the sideline despite being placed back on the active roster. Kansas City will lean on Frank Zombo with these pass rush specialists unavailable. Getting to the quarterback has been an issue for the team, as the Chiefs currently rank in the bottom half of the league in terms of sacks, racking up just a combined 19.0 through ten weeks.
The Ravens have already lost their best offensive lineman for the year in Marshal Yanda and have another troubling injury situation unfolding regarding left tackle Ronnie Stanley. Even after a bye, the second-year lineman is doubtful to play with a concussion, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Obviously, all concussions should be taken seriously, but his absence should be a concern considering that Baltimore has really had to shakeup their protection for Joe Flacco with the injuries to Yanda and second-year guard Alex Lewis. James Hurst would likely get the start in place of Stanley, which is a significant downgrade for a team that is looking to gain momentum in securing the final AFC wild card spot over the last seven weeks of the regular season.
The Patriots will be without two starting offensive lineman of their own when they travel to Mexico City to take on the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. Both center David Andrews (illness) and right tackle Marcus Cannon (ankle) have been ruled out, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Backup lineman Ted Karras got some snaps at center during last week’s blowout of the Broncos and the team has reserve tackles in Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle who could fill in at right tackle. Bill Belichick and co. will also be without Chris Hogan and special teams ace Matt Slater, so the team has to overcome more than just new surroundings to get out of Mexico with their eighth win of the year.

Browns Notes: Gordon, Thomas, McCarron, Hue, Currie

November 7th, 2017 at 9:16pm CST by Micah Powell

On the heels of his reinstatement into the NFL, Josh Gordon detailed his extensive drug use and recovery in a revealing Q&A with GQ.

In the piece, Gordon admits he was a highly functioning addict who would drink “a couple shots” before games, including his back-to-back 200-yard performances during his standout 2013 campaign. Gordon said his drug use began in the seventh grade with marijuana and Xanax, and he believes he has had something in his system for every game of his career.

When asked why his recovery this time is different, the receiver said, “Every time I would try to stop, it would be for the wrong reason. … Last time, I wanted to do it to save my career. Just for the job. [Now] I have the positive reinforcement and motivation of having a daughter and stuff like that, but kids can’t save you in that aspect. Only thing saving me at this point and time, and the difference between now and then, is that I’m doing it for myself. And I want something more for myself.”

Gordon will be allowed to begin practicing with the Browns on November 20, with the hopes of getting back on the field for the team’s Week 13 matchup with the Chargers.

Here is the latest from Cleveland:

Browns head coach Hue Jackson issued no comment on his relationship with the front office when addressing reporters, including 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland’s Keith Britton (via Twitter), on Monday. The comment stemmed from the team’s fiasco in attempting to acquire A.J. McCarron from the Bengals and executive vice president Sashi Brown‘s comments earlier in the day. Brown also noted the botched deal for the quarterback made last week a tough one from a public relations perspective, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets.
It occurred to some with the Browns during the McCarron talks that Jackson could be back in Cincinnati next season with the team’s second- and third-round picks from the deal, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets. Whether Jackson is with the Bengals or another team, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the coach looking for another job after winning just one of his first 23 games in Cleveland.
Brown also said the raise to Joe Thomas had been talked about before the veteran’s injury, the Akron Beacon Journal’s Nate Ulrich tweets. As previously mentioned, Thomas was given $3MM in new money last week.
Safety Justin Currie has a workout scheduled for Friday, the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Signed to the Browns’ practice squad in December 2016, the Western Michigan product was released in the preseason and has yet to sign with another team.

Latest On Browns, Josh Gordon

November 6th, 2017 at 10:19am CST by Zachary Links

We could be getting closer to the on-field return of Josh Gordon. The wide receiver is slated to report to the Browns’ facility on Tuesday to begin conditioning work, individual workouts, and attend team meetings, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. The hope is that Gordon will be ready to go for their Week 13 game against the Chargers on Dec. 3, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

Recently, Browns Executive Vice President Sashi Brown announced that he would be sitting down with Gordon and that day is finally near. As a whole, the organization has come a lot way since coach Hue Jackson was asked about the wide receiver in October 2016.

“I think what we need to do is just close that chapter right now,” Jackson said roughly 13 months ago. “He’s doing what he needs to do, and we need to do what we need to do, which is continue to move forward…Obviously, Josh is not here and doing what he thinks he needs to do for his life, which we support 100 percent. And I think after today, today is really the last Josh Gordon comment I want to make about that. I think what’s best for our football team is that we move forward and move on. He’s not going to be with us, and we wish him well. But we’re moving forward. We’re going to move on.”

Gordon will be allowed to practice with the Browns starting on Nov. 20, and he will be eligible for activation starting on Nov. 27. With an extra week on top of that, the Browns are hopeful that Gordon will be caught up on the playbook and in good enough shape to play.

Prior to the trade deadline, there were rumblings that the Browns would consider moving Gordon if he secured reinstatement in time. With that in mind, one has to wonder if the Browns are looking to keep Gordon for 2018 or if they are looking to showcase him for other teams over the season’s final four games.

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