It looks like Josh Gordon will be on the field in 2016. The league has crafted a plan that will allow him to return in Week 5 – if he can stay out of trouble.
During all drug suspensions that I can recall, players have been required to say away from the team. This one is different. Gordon will be able to practice and play in the preseason, and he’ll be able to practice during the first four weeks of the season (even while not being able to dress for games).
Such a structure gives Gordon a better chance of staying out of a trouble; it allows the team to support him, rather than just crossing their fingers and hoping for the best. It’s really more the kind of model they should use for all players.
This kind of suspension also gives Gordon a better chance of being successful on the field. He should be in better physical shape, and he’ll have a better chance to learn the team’s offense.
When Gordon was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2014 season, he returned and wasn’t quite the difference maker people were hoping for. He caught 8 passes for 120 yards at Atlanta, but then caught only 16 passes for 183 yards in his final four games (and with no touchdowns in any of those five games).
If the Browns can keep Gordon healthy and dialed in, he could be one of the top 10 wide receivers in the league. He’s only 25 years old, and he was pretty special back in 2013, leading the league in receiving yards despite missing the first two games.
Cleveland might be ready to move on from Gordon. They drafted another Baylor receiver, Corey Coleman, in the first round of the draft, and they’ve got a new regime running the show. If some other team wants to get up something of value for Gordon, the Browns might be willing to listen. (Personally, I’d love to see him in Los Angeles.)
High risk, of course, but Gordon potentially could have a big impact this year – possible top-10 numbers in the final 12 games of the season.
Among players who started over half of the season, his 2013 numbers were the 5th-best by any wide receiver in the last 10 years. (That’s per-game numbers, using 6 for touchdowns and 1 for every 10 yards.)
| WIDE RECEIVERS: Most productive in last 10 years | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | St | No | Yards | TD | Points |
| 2007 | Randy Moss, N.E. | 16 | 6.1 | 93.3 | 1.44 | 18.0 |
| 2014 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 11 | 7.9 | 114.6 | 1.00 | 17.8 |
| 2011 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 16 | 6.0 | 105.1 | 1.00 | 16.6 |
| 2014 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 16 | 8.1 | 106.1 | .94 | 16.3 |
| 2013 | Josh Gordon, Clev. | 14 | 6.2 | 117.6 | .64 | 16.2 |
| 2015 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 16 | 8.5 | 114.6 | .73 | 16.0 |
| 2013 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 14 | 6.0 | 106.6 | .86 | 15.8 |
| 2009 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 12 | 6.3 | 103.3 | .83 | 15.3 |
| 2015 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 16 | 8.5 | 116.9 | .56 | 15.1 |
| 2007 | Terrell Owens, Dall. | 15 | 5.4 | 90.3 | 1.00 | 15.1 |
| 2015 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 15 | 6.4 | 96.7 | .87 | 14.9 |
| 2007 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 9 | 6.7 | 94.6 | .89 | 14.8 |
| 2011 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 14 | 5.7 | 108.5 | .64 | 14.7 |
| 2008 | Anquan Boldin, Ariz. | 12 | 7.4 | 86.5 | .92 | 14.7 |
| 2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 16 | 6.8 | 93.9 | .88 | 14.6 |
| 2014 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 16 | 6.1 | 94.9 | .81 | 14.4 |
| 2014 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 16 | 6.9 | 101.2 | .71 | 14.4 |
| 2014 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 16 | 5.5 | 82.5 | 1.00 | 14.3 |
| 2013 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 16 | 5.8 | 89.4 | .88 | 14.2 |
| 2012 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 16 | 7.6 | 122.8 | .31 | 14.2 |
| 2007 | Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 16 | 5.0 | 80.6 | 1.00 | 14.1 |
| 2015 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 16 | 5.0 | 87.5 | .88 | 14.0 |
—Ian Allan