Here we go again? Josh Gordon says he won’t report for the start of training camp, opting instead to focus on his “overall health and treatment plan.” Could a year-long suspension be far behind?
Gordon apparently hasn’t failed any league drug tests yet. If that were to happen, he would be suspended for a year. But there’s enough concern that Gordon right now is focusing on himself rather than a football. The Browns are expected to place him on the non-football injury list.
“I am excited to start the season and I have every intention of being ready and available to join my teammates soon to help bring winning football to our fans. With the help of the NFL, NFLPA, and the Browns’ organization, I have been able to utilize the resources available to me that will ensure my well-being on and off the field,” Gordon announced on Twitter. “By continuing to follow the plan set up by our medical director and his team and taking this time before this season starts, we believe it will help me maintain the progress I've made for not only today but for many years to come. Thank you all for your patience, love, and support! Go Browns!”
The Browns say they aren’t giving up on Gordon, who’s played in only 10 of the team’s last 64 games.
"We will continue to support Josh as he receives the care needed to maintain his progress," said GM John Dorsey said. "We are going to respect his privacy while he is away from the team. Josh will be placed on the non-football illness reserve list until he is ready to return."
With multiple suspensions, Gordon is in the league’s substance-abuse program, subject to up to 10 tests per month. If he fails or misses a test, it likely would trigger a year-long suspension (at this point in his career, such a suspension could be essentially a career ender).
This isn’t necessarily a huge deal. Maybe Gordon and the team are just being cautious. But given the history and risk, Jarvis Landry looks like the safest choice among the Cleveland receivers.
If Gordon winds up getting shelved, that would open the door for another pass catcher on this team to make a nice impact. Corey Coleman was the first receiver drafted in 2016, and he’s made a handful of impressive catches during his career. And 22-year-old tight end David Njoku is ready to do more. Antonio Callaway might have been selected in the second round if not for a host of off-field problems – he provided a diluted sample at the combine, and was suspended for all of the 2017 season for his role in a credit-card fraud scandal.
But none of those receivers have the same kind of talent as Gordon. He’s huge (6-3, 225) and has been remarkably productive on the field. In the last 10 years, only 32 wide receivers have averaged at least 90 receiving yards per game while starting over half the season. Gordon is not only on that list, he’s No. 2 behind Calvin Johnson. Unfortunately, that big season came 5 years ago, and Gordon has been unable to stay on the field since.
| WIDE RECEIVERS AVERAGING 90+ YARDS PER GAME | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | St | No | Yards | TD |
| 2012 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 16 | 7.6 | 122.8 | .31 |
| 2013 | Josh Gordon, Clev. | 14 | 6.2 | 117.6 | .64 |
| 2015 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 16 | 8.5 | 116.9 | .56 |
| 2014 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 11 | 7.9 | 114.6 | 1.00 |
| 2015 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 16 | 8.5 | 114.6 | .73 |
| 2017 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 14 | 7.2 | 109.5 | .67 |
| 2011 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 14 | 5.7 | 108.5 | .64 |
| 2013 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 14 | 6.0 | 106.6 | .86 |
| 2014 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 15 | 6.9 | 106.2 | .40 |
| 2014 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 16 | 8.1 | 106.1 | .94 |
| 2011 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 16 | 6.0 | 105.1 | 1.00 |
| 2009 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 12 | 6.3 | 103.3 | .83 |
| 2008 | Steve Smith, NYG | 14 | 5.6 | 101.5 | .43 |
| 2014 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 16 | 6.9 | 101.2 | .71 |
| 2016 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 14 | 5.9 | 100.6 | .43 |
| 2012 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 16 | 7.0 | 99.9 | .25 |
| 2008 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 16 | 7.2 | 98.4 | .50 |
| 2011 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 16 | 7.6 | 98.1 | .56 |
| 2009 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 16 | 6.3 | 98.1 | .58 |
| 2015 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 15 | 6.4 | 96.7 | .87 |
| 2016 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 10 | 6.6 | 96.4 | .40 |
| 2009 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 14 | 8.8 | 96.3 | .29 |
| 2015 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 16 | 6.9 | 95.1 | .71 |
| 2014 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 16 | 6.1 | 94.9 | .81 |
| 2012 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 16 | 7.4 | 94.3 | .69 |
| 2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 16 | 6.8 | 93.9 | .88 |
| 2013 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 16 | 6.9 | 93.7 | .56 |
| 2010 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 13 | 6.6 | 93.5 | .62 |
| 2017 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 15 | 6.4 | 91.9 | .87 |
| 2010 | Brandon Lloyd, Den. | 16 | 4.8 | 90.5 | .69 |
| 2016 | T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 16 | 5.7 | 90.5 | .40 |
| 2017 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 16 | 5.5 | 90.3 | .19 |
—Ian Allan