The Cleveland Browns promised they were going to get rid of Josh Gordon by Monday and it looks like they have finally found a team interested in working out a trade for the beleaguered wide receiver.
According to NFL.com, the Patriots and Browns have worked out a deal that will send Gordon to New England. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora has reported that the Patriots will be sending a 2019 fifth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for the wide receiver.
The Browns have also announced that there's a conditional late-round pick involved in the deal that would potentially go to New England. According to ESPN.com, if Gordon isn't on the Patriots' active roster for at least 10 games this season, then the Patriots will get a 2019 seventh-round pick from the Browns as part of the deal. What this all means is that Gordon is now officially headed to New England and Tom Brady is going to have an insanely talented weapon at his disposal.
Of course, the one problem with that weapon is that it's not always on the field. The receiver has missed a total of 54 games over the past four seasons (2014-17) due to multiple NFL suspensions. However, he should be able to play as soon as he's healthy in New England. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported on Saturday that the Browns' decision to part ways with Gordon had nothing to do with a potential drug issue or looming suspension.
The Browns shockingly announced on Saturday that they were going to "part ways" with Gordon after keeping him for six-plus years.
Although there's no looming suspension, one thing that could have effect on his ability to play right away in New England is his current health. The receiver is dealing with a tight hamstring that he reportedly injured while doing a promotional shoot on Friday. That injury, along with the fact that Gordon reportedly showed up late to the team's facility on Saturday, ended up being his final two strikes with the Browns.
Despite the hamstring injury, Gordon could be on the field as soon as this week for the Patriots. According to ESPN.com, Gordon is healthy enough to play in New England's Sunday night game in Detroit this week.
If Gordon can stay on the field in New England -- and that's a big "if" -- he could be an instant threat for the Patriots. The receiver led the league with 1,646 receiving yards in 2013, despite the fact that he played in only 14 games. The big problem for Gordon, though, is that he hasn't been able to stay eligible. Gordon has only made it through an entire 16-game season one time, and that came in his rookie year of 2012.
If Gordon does turn into a receiving threat with the Patriots, that would be good news for Brady. The Patriots receivers got shut down by the Jaguars on Sunday and have been one of the weakest units on the team through two weeks. Of the 24 passes that Brady completed in New England's 31-20 loss to Jacksonville, 13 went to a running back or tight end (for 130 yards) and only 11 of those passes went to receivers (for 104 yards). Of that total, 66 of those yards by Patriots receivers came in garbage time at the end of the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach.
As for Gordon, he had reportedly been hoping to get traded to either the Cowboys or 49ers, but you have to think that he'll have no problem being sent to a contender like the Patriots. The structured setup in New England could be the perfect place for Gordon to turn his career around.
In somewhat related news, the Patriots will be cutting one of Gordon's former teammates to make room for him on the roster. According to ESPN.com, the Patriots have decided to part ways with Corey Coleman, a former first-round pick of the Browns who signed with New England just last week.
