The Patriots traded for Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon. Unless they didn't! Speaking at his Wednesday press conference, Bill Belichick declined to talk about the Gordon trade -- which has been announced by all parties -- saying the deal has not been finalized yet.
Belichick also included the phrase "if it's done" when talking about the team's decision to trade for Gordon.
Belichick says the Josh Gordon deal is not yet official despite it being on the transaction wire. "You can ask. We'll talk about it when it's done. If it's done." #Patriots
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) September 19, 2018
He also added there are "terms that have to be met" that have to be met before the deal can be wrapped up.
Belichick says that the Josh Gordon trade hasn't been finalized, even though it's on the league's transaction wire. "I'm not going to talk about players that are not actually on our roster, totally...There are terms that have to be met before the trade is finalized."
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) September 19, 2018
This is pretty odd news because we heard on Monday that the deal was finalized and that it was a lock. The Patriots announced it:
Welcome to New England, @JOSH_GORDONXII! #GoPats pic.twitter.com/8JjptacRNi
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 17, 2018
The Browns announced it:
We've traded WR Josh Gordon to the New England Patriots. pic.twitter.com/2eYO4A69jq
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 17, 2018
And the trade showed up on the NFL's official transaction wire:
It SOUNDS like this is not a big deal, and might even be more about Bill Belichick trying to keep from talking about the trade -- according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, the Patriots are just trying to get a seventh-round pick back from the Browns.
My understanding is the holdup in the Josh Gordon trade is related to a tweak in language. Basically, the #Patriots will get a 7th-round pick back from the #Browns. Should be done soon.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 19, 2018
Here would be my guess: the Patriots and Browns are haggling over which pick they're going to give up? It's a seventh-round conditional pick; if Gordon is active for 10 games the Patriots get the Browns seventh-round pick. So maybe it's a debate over which pick they're giving (the Browns have multiple picks in play) or maybe it's a debate over the specifics of the conditions.
The Browns decided to get rid of Gordon after he showed up late for practice with a hamstring injury he suffered away from the football team. Cleveland wanted to ship Gordon to the NFC -- and ended up having some discussions with San Francisco, Washington and Dallas about the troubled wideout -- but ultimately settled on giving him to the Patriots for a fifth-round pick.
Unless they didn't! The Gordon trade is official according to the NFL and the Patriots and the Browns but not official according to Bill Belichick. Might want to listen to Bill on matters of details.
