Patriots Acquire WR Josh Gordon

ifmanis5

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The Patriots didn't have $8 million to pay Cooks. It would have been nice to keep him but they couldn't. He was a luxury they couldn't afford. I'm not sure why this point seems to get lost so often.
Good point, I just Googled the Cooks contract with the Rams and it's clearly more than the Pats were willing and able to do; basically Deion Branch, redux.

As for Gordon, going from the chaos and no structure of the Browns to the BB/Patriot Way and a difficult playbook is a lot to ask for but the ceiling is worth the risk for both sides. Hopefully he can bond with a player on the offense who can take him under his wing so to speak and keep him away from obvious mistakes. If it's just a firehose of BB yelling at him it's not going to go well.
 

RedOctober3829

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Albert Breer's latest on Gordon.....

The Browns have been in touch with potential suitors for troubled receiver Josh Gordon in the 24-plus hours after the team’s announcement that they were planning to release him on Monday—which was a de facto “make us an offer” smoke signal to the rest of the league. And as much as getting a return might be nice, I think controlling Gordon’s destination is as important to Cleveland.


So your favorite team’s fate on this one is, at least for now, in the hands of Browns GM John Dorsey. You want to know about Gordon? Here are a few things you should know …

• There were signs of trouble early in the summer, with rumors buzzing before the July 4 holiday that he’d slipped up. That was followed by Gordon staying away from the start of Browns training camp, a move that came as a surprise to some on the Cleveland coaching staff.

• Gordon’s final days in Cleveland were just as strange. On Friday he tweaked his hamstring doing a promotional shoot. The team found out about it on Saturday, after Gordon showed up to work late.

• Gordon is one failed drug test from banishment from the league.

• The one year Gordon stayed out of trouble was 2013—and he caught 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. That year, then-Browns CEO Joe Banner hired performance psychologist James Bell and Cleveland Clinic psychiatrist Mayur Pandya to help with troubled players, and the two were vital in Gordon staying on track.

• Gordon is seen as easily influenced, which is why the Browns have tried as much as possible to get him around a brother of his who was living in California and is seen as a positive force in his life.

• Those who know Gordon say his substance abuse problem stems from deep insecurity and self-esteem issues. No one seems to think he’s a bad guy. That’s why so many people are rooting for Gordon to make it. It’s hard to find someone who’s played with or coached him who isn’t.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/09/17/nfl-week-2-blake-bortles-patrick-mahomes-clay-matthews-penalty-matt-ryan-josh-gordon-missed-kicks
 

Mugsy's Jock

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Was mentioned days ago in another thread, but i wouldn’t be surprised if Mike Lombardi was asked to weigh in on Gordon. Lombardi’s sounded pretty sympathetic to Gordon over on The Ringer.
 

Norm Siebern

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The moment the Browns decided to release him I was saying silent prayers to the statue of Don Hudson (patron saint of WRs) that's this may come to pass. And lo, it has.

I wonder where Kraft is on this. Obviously on board, but with reservations? If Myra is still alive, is Gordon a Patriot? The team shipped off Chandler Jones for lesser "issues." Would have liked to have been privy to the conversations among the decision makers. Maybe McDaniels or even Brady convinced Kraft (just spit-balling here)?
 

PedroKsBambino

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I thought Myra's concern was focused on players with domestic abuse issues---was it broader than that?

I do not think Jones' deal was as much about his odd 'incident' as it was his contract demands, though likely both were in the decision making process

I think this is as simple as betting Gordon will provide more value than a 5th round pick. They've somewhat regularly swapped 4th-6th round picks for vets the last few years and while this is the 'loudest' of such deals it does fit a pattern for them.
 

Van Everyman

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LOL, Belichick refusing to talk about this on 'EEI because it's not "official" -- even tho the Patriots have already sent out a release about it.
 

dcmissle

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There isn’t a person on this planet I’ll root harder for than Josh Gordon. For him primarily and the team too.

But the Moss comparisons are preposterous. And the notion that he is “clean” because he passed NFL tests betrays great ignorance — when you are an addict, you are an addict for life. The history is way too long with him, going back to his earliest days in college.

Low risk, potentially high reward. God bless him.

Edit. What does Myra have to do with this? His abuse is self abuse. He is a very fragile human being.

And laugh at Peter King all you want — I know, it’s fashionable. But his views represent the smart money on this.
 

Gash Prex

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It’s always been my impression he is a good kid with a drug problem that got caught in a a very strict drug testing program but has relapses -
 

Ed Hillel

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There is so little risk, it’s a no-brainer, but I also fully anticipate he won’t make it long. I’d be surprised if he’s on the roster on Thanksgiving.
 

bsj

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I guess MRI was done by the browns in advance of the physical? That seems weird that they would announce they were cutting a Guy then ask him to come in for an MRI
 

Saints Rest

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I just watched highlights video. A couple things that struck me:
  1. He's big. Not just tall, but thick. Actually reminded me a bit of Cordarelle. (JG: 6'-3", 225; CP - 6'-2", 220).
  2. Big catch radius. He catches a lot of balls with his hands well out away from his body. He seemed to catch a lot of balls way up high. But he also uses his body effectively to allow himself to use those long arms and strong hands to keep the DB away from the ball.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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There is so little risk, it’s a no-brainer, but I also fully anticipate he won’t make it long. I’d be surprised if he’s on the roster on Thanksgiving.
This is my view as well. In addition to the chance of behavioral issues arising again, he is pretty likely to just not be very good after missing so much time. But it’s clearly worth a roll of the dice.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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Given his size I wonder if they'll use him on the classic Brandon LaFell 15 yard back shoulder stop route on the sidelines. They tried and failed to fit Cooks into that mold and now nobody on the roster can execute that route. Brady has always seemed fond of those plays.
 

McBride11

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Man what does that say about the communication between the coach and the GM?
Gonna head down the bar at Patriots place and ask around.

Love the move. Big, strong, fast and can catch. I've had a big WR crush on him since his days at Baylor. 2 big RZ targets now for Tom. Football hope is he can learn the routes and calls.
Life hope; Substance abuse is a mofo. Even if not for his NFL career and the Pats prospects this year, hope he is able to control that.
 

( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)

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He's always posted numbers immediately after missing any time.
Sure when he was 23, 24 and 26. Now he is 27 years old. Most certainly still prime age for a WR but at some point time catches up to all of these guys. On one hand you could argue that his body has the benefits of having taken less abuse but on the other is he going to snap right back into game shape now that he is in his late 20s? Who the hell knows. But I do t think his previous immediate bounce backs to productivity carry much weight projecting what he will do this time
 

brandonchristensen

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This seemed like it was bound to happen. And it did.

Very cool. That highlight reel made the Browns look competent.
 

pedroia'sboys

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Gonna head down the bar at Patriots place and ask around.

Love the move. Big, strong, fast and can catch. I've had a big WR crush on him since his days at Baylor. 2 big RZ targets now for Tom. Football hope is he can learn the routes and calls.
Life hope; Substance abuse is a mofo. Even if not for his NFL career and the Pats prospects this year, hope he is able to control that.
As a recovering addict with much of the similar issues, fear based drug use last chance at work I have been flip flopping on how the situation may play out.

He has no idea what hes in for, god knows what Cleveland let him get away with when he had his 1600 yard season. He's going to a highly structured environment which demands the best out of you. It's either going to bring the best out of him or it will be to much for him to handle mentally. I hope its the former. Really rooting for the guy addiction is a bitch.
 
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Byrdbrain

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Nothing?
It's Belichick not wanting to talk about until he has to and/or until he has passed a physical. You honestly think he is not privy to every bit of detail regarding Josh Gordon getting traded to his team?
Um, the coach is the GM. It was a joke and a good one.
 

dcmissle

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As a recovering addict with much of the similar issues, fear based drug use last chance at work I have been flip flopping on how the situation may play out.

He has no idea what hes in for, god knows what Cleveland let him get away with when he had his 1600 yard season. He's going to a highly structured environment which demands the best out of you. It's either going to bring the best out of him or it will be to much for him to handle mentally. I hope its the latter. Really rooting for the guy addiction is a bitch.
Thanks for the insight.

What is your opinion on the NFL rules regarding alcohol and weed?

His may be one of the greatest careers that never was, based on policies that most likely will not be in place in 10 years.

I get it — you have to obey the rules in place, and I’ve referred to the NFL test that gets guys in the program as a moron or addiction test. But the likely end result in this case strikes me as harsh.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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As a recovering addict with much of the similar issues, fear based drug use last chance at work I have been flip flopping on how the situation may play out.

He has no idea what hes in for, god knows what Cleveland let him get away with when he had his 1600 yard season. He's going to a highly structured environment which demands the best out of you. It's either going to bring the best out of him or it will be to much for him to handle mentally. I hope its the latter. Really rooting for the guy addiction is a bitch.
The former?
 

normstalls

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Nothing?
It's Belichick not wanting to talk about until he has to and/or until he has passed a physical. You honestly think he is not privy to every bit of detail regarding Josh Gordon getting traded to his team?
Not to speak for the Mort, but fairly certain he was joking...
 

RedOctober3829

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As a recovering addict with much of the similar issues, fear based drug use last chance at work I have been flip flopping on how the situation may play out.

He has no idea what hes in for, god knows what Cleveland let him get away with when he had his 1600 yard season. He's going to a highly structured environment which demands the best out of you. It's either going to bring the best out of him or it will be to much for him to handle mentally. I hope its the former. Really rooting for the guy addiction is a bitch.
Good luck in your fight.
 

Marciano490

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The shock I feel with this move, if it happens officially, is that they are taking a chance on a guy with extreme issues. It's not just a little weed here and there. He's on record saying he's done opioids and even cocaine in his past. It's just shocking that Bill would do something like this.
The addictive personality is the issue, not the substances. I’d be more worried about the opiates than the coke though. Especially for an NFL player.