Tag Archives: Josh Gordon prediction

2016 NFL Predictions: Will Browns Trade Josh Gordon?

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The Cleveland Browns don’t seem like they really know what they want to do with star wide receiver Josh Gordon. Recently reinstated by the NFL, Gordon finally has a chance to redeem himself for past failed drug tests, following a four-game ban to begin the 2016 season.

Josh Gordon Trade Rumors

The big question, of course, is if Cleveland cares to see if he’ll actually make good on what figures to be his final chance.

Just this week reports emerged that the Browns were taking in trade offers for Gordon, and not too look after, there were whispers that the team itself sparked the Josh Gordon trade rumors by releasing the info, themselves.

Shortly after, the team came forward and declared they now are not interested in trading Josh Gordon, and probably never seriously considered doing so.

Can Gordon Be Trusted?

The Browns are a tough organization to believe here, for a couple of reasons. For one, Gordon is impossible to truly trust. This is a kid who was a red flag coming into the league and has been suspended two games or more every year since 2013. He missed all of 2015 with a year-long ban and even still hangs out with fellow headcase, Johnny Manziel.

On paper, Gordon is a major liability.

There’s more to hate. New head coach Hue Jackson comes in with a whole new system and approach and his fresh start had the Browns cleaning house in a massive way. The team cut ties with most of it’s previous receiving talent, cut Manziel and numerous other high profile talent and then drafted four new receiving options in the 2016 NFL Draft. The big one was first round wide receiver Corey Coleman, while Terrelle Pryor’s heavy inclusion in camp and preseason play suggests he could be in for a huge role, as well.

Very quickly, the excitement around a Josh Gordon return has turned into hesitance to fully bring him back.

So Much Upside

That being said, if Gordon can keep his head on straight and get back to being the player that dropped a ridiculous 87-1,646-9 line on the league back in 2013, the Browns would be foolish to pass on him. Right?

Perhaps, but if the Browns already love their other receiving talent, don’t trust Gordon for the long-term and think they can get something of value in return, it’d actually make even less sense not to cut ties with him.

Josh Gordon Prediction

So, what happens with Gordon, then?

This probably says it best: Josh Gordon has a price.

It’s true that’s probably the case with most players, but guys like Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt simply aren’t getting traded. Gordon very well could.

There are without a doubt a long line of interested teams that both have a serious need at wide receiver and also may be willing to part with the right draft picks to make a deal happen.

If Cleveland is smart, they make a play for the best available offer and deal Gordon. Not only is he a liability to get suspended again, but after this season he is due for a new contract. Is that a situation the Browns really want to be in – one way or another losing a star talent potentially for nothing? That’s very doubtful.

Again, the list is long, but the teams that need wide receiver help or could be willing to throw caution to the wind the most are the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and the St. Louis Rams. Cleveland would be wise to deal Gordon outside of the division, as well as the entire AFC, putting the likes of the Eagles, Panthers and Rams largely under the microscope. It’s also possible Gordon doesn’t get dealt, thrives in Cleveland, re-signs to  a massive deal and ends up being one of the best receivers ever. Cleveland has to know all of that is a longshot, however.

Does Josh Gordon Have a Chance to Play in 2016?

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Cleveland Browns star wide receiver Josh Gordon may have a chance to suit up in 2016.

Past reports regarding more failed drug tests suggested Gordon could be looking at yet another ban, but a reported meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sparked new optimism that Gordon could play against this season.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapopport, Gordon and Goodell met on Wednesday to discuss the troubled receiver’s future. The meeting didn’t include a decision either way from Goodell, while reports suggest Gordon should be able to reapply for reinstatement on August 1st.

Troubled History

The future still remains murky for Josh Gordon, as the league doesn’t always reinstate players despite their attempts to reapply, while Gordon’s multiple failed drug tests will naturally be taken into consideration when the league considers Gordon’s future.

Gordon burst onto the seen as a rookie in 2012 and then stepped up his game and looked like an elite weapon during a massive 2013 campaign. Although Gordon’s star was rising steadily, his career hit a wall when he was suspended two games for substance abuse in 2013 and then another 10 games for the 2014 season. Gordon’s career took a dark turn for the worse again in 2015, when more negative drug tests resulted in a year-long ban.

Gordon looked to be set to return for the 2016 season, but reportedly yet again failed league mandated drug tests and now faces the possibility of further suspension. Gordon’s meeting with the commissioner figures to be a step towards possible reinstatement, but no such action by the league is imminent.

So Much Talent

The story of Josh Gordon is especially troubling, both because of the frequency of his trip-ups with the league, as well as his top shelf talent that is being wasted. Gordon went into the 2012 Supplemental Draft largely due to character concerns, and he didn’t waste much time before making the Browns regret acquiring him.

Most of Gordon’s off the field issues have come following his enormous success, which began during his rookie season, when he caught 50 balls for over 800 yards and five scores. Gordon’s big play ability made him the focal point of the team’s offense the following season, where he would amass 1,646 receiving yards and nine touchdowns off of 87 catches – all in just 14 games.

Gordon’s suspensions began to take a toll on his development, however, as he didn’t appear to be the same player upon returning from a 10-game ban in 2014, when he posted a weak 24-303-0 stat line.

Odds of Reinstatement

The biggest thing working against Josh Gordon is his failed drug tests after spending an entire season away from football. That may show that he has not been taking the proper precautions in living drug free life. For the league, Gordon’s constant infractions suggest he’s not taking his professional football career seriously and there has to be worry that he may never appreciate what is at risk.

Gordon isn’t out with recourse, here, as the diluted sample that put off his reinstatement could still be discarded, should the league decide to give him a break. Gordon’s sit-down with Goodell could easily allow for that to happen, depending on whether or not Gordon can convince the league commissioner that he’s serious about staying clean and working his way back into the league.

From there, Gordon will likely apply for reinstatement and still potentially could find his way back into the league this year. That being said, applying for reinstatement and conversing with Goodell individually and together don’t mean anything. A discussion with Goodell could lead to nothing and Gordon’s application to be reinstated could still very well be denied. And should Gordon’s recent failed drug tests or any future failed drug tests be used against him, Gordon may not be looking at 2016 as his main roadblock; he could be looking at a completely derailed NFL career.

Two harsh realities exist. Not only could Gordon’s own team decide not to activate him (they could also trade him, if reinstated), but the league itself could opt not to believe, trust or hand out another chance to a player who has routinely broken their rules. That has already been the case with the likes of Justin Blackmon and Daryl Washington, while other players such as Ray Rice have seemingly been blackballed by the league for their actions away from the field.

Josh Gordon Prediction

The NFL has been making a name for itself when it comes to making an example of players that break rules. Players that abuse drugs, use steroids or banned substances or commit acts of violence do not usually get the benefit of the doubt – even when they’re not actually convicted of a crime in the court of law.

Johnny Manziel, who hasn’t been convicted of anyhing yet, was suspended four games this year for drug issues. Numerous players have received bans for substance and drug abuse issues this summer already, as well. Due to his lengthy history of failed drug tests and existing suspensions, a 2016 reinstatement still feels like a reach.

For Josh Gordon to be reinstated immediately, the league would have to throw out any of his recent failed drug tests, trust blindly that Gordon is reformed and won’t relapse and in a sense also forget any of his past infractions.

This is all assuming Gordon is close to being allowed back in the league. Even if Goodell throws out the drug tests and does randomly give Gordon another chance, there is the huge elephant in the room: what are the odds Josh Gordon makes good with what would surely be his last chance in the league?

The simple reality is players do not come back from year-long suspensions very often and they surely don’t come back after another suspension after the fact. One way or another, Josh Gordon is on his last legs in the NFL. Whether or not he gets reinstated in August shouldn’t be the concern. The concern is whether or not his next reinstatement will last more than a month. Considering his history, Gordon will have to prove Goodell, the league, the Browns and everyone else that he’s a changed man and that he can be trusted. Judging by things have gone so far, it’s tough to buy it working out.