Report yesterday that Josh Gordon expects to hear from the NFL regarding reinstatement in the next 30 days. Most seem to believe it will be favorable for him, as the new CBA takes a friendlier view of marijuana-related offenses than in the past. So, is he worth it?
Gordon was a monster with the Browns back in 2013, putting up 1,646 yards in just 14 games. That's nearly 118 yards per game -- better than any wideout this century but Calvin Johnson the year he almost went for 2,000 yards (2012, when he was at 123 yards per game). Mindful of that talent, teams have been interested in signing Gordon whenever he's been available.
But after multiple suspensions -- including all of the 2015 and 2016 seasons -- is that player still there? Gordon is just 29 years old, but since that 2013 breakout he's played in about half as many games (33, so 5.5 per year) as he's missed (63). It doesn't seem like he can be counted on not only to stay on the field, but to be a difference maker if he is.
Gordon played in 11 games with New England and Seattle last year. His per-game numbers resulted in 2.5 catches for 39 yards per game, with 1 TD in those 11 contests. That's under 7 PPR points per game, one of the lower figures among wide receivers who started at least half the time. He shows up down with a whole bunch of guys who won't be drafted.
| WIDE RECEIVERS PER GAME, 2019 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | St | No | Yds | TD | PPR |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 16 | 9.3 | 107.8 | .56 | 23.5 |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 14 | 6.1 | 95.2 | .67 | 19.7 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 15 | 6.6 | 92.9 | .40 | 18.3 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 15 | 6.9 | 77.7 | .53 | 17.9 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 13 | 5.2 | 89.0 | .64 | 17.9 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 12 | 6.9 | 83.1 | .44 | 17.9 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 16 | 5.9 | 72.6 | .63 | 16.9 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 16 | 6.5 | 74.9 | .38 | 16.2 |
| Allen Robinson, Chi. | 16 | 6.1 | 71.7 | .44 | 15.9 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 16 | 6.3 | 69.8 | .44 | 15.9 |
| Kenny Golladay, Det. | 16 | 4.1 | 74.4 | .69 | 15.6 |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 12 | 4.8 | 71.7 | .58 | 15.5 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 16 | 4.5 | 75.1 | .56 | 15.4 |
| Amari Cooper, Dall. | 16 | 4.9 | 74.3 | .50 | 15.4 |
| DJ Moore, Car. | 15 | 5.8 | 78.3 | .27 | 15.2 |
| Michael Gallup, Dall. | 14 | 4.7 | 79.1 | .43 | 15.2 |
| DJ Chark, Jac. | 15 | 4.9 | 67.2 | .56 | 14.9 |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 13 | 4.8 | 59.9 | .69 | 14.9 |
| Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 13 | 4.8 | 66.6 | .56 | 14.9 |
| Jarvis Landry, Cle. | 16 | 5.2 | 73.4 | .38 | 14.8 |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 15 | 6.0 | 75.6 | .20 | 14.8 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 16 | 5.1 | 66.1 | .50 | 14.7 |
| John Brown, Buff. | 15 | 4.8 | 70.7 | .44 | 14.5 |
| Stefon Diggs, Min. | 15 | 4.2 | 75.3 | .40 | 14.1 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 16 | 5.6 | 65.4 | .31 | 14.0 |
| Golden Tate, NYG | 11 | 4.5 | 61.5 | .55 | 13.9 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 14 | 4.1 | 65.6 | .50 | 13.7 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 16 | 4.5 | 69.5 | .38 | 13.7 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 10 | 5.7 | 57.6 | .33 | 13.5 |
| A.J. Brown, Ten. | 16 | 3.3 | 65.7 | .56 | 13.2 |
| Darius Slayton, NYG | 12 | 3.6 | 53.8 | .67 | 13.0 |
| Odell Beckham, Cle. | 16 | 4.6 | 64.7 | .25 | 12.6 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 10 | 4.5 | 50.1 | .50 | 12.5 |
| Jamison Crowder, NYJ | 16 | 4.9 | 52.1 | .38 | 12.3 |
| Cole Beasley, Buff. | 15 | 4.5 | 51.9 | .44 | 12.3 |
| Christian Kirk, Ariz. | 13 | 5.2 | 54.5 | .26 | 12.2 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 10 | 4.3 | 49.0 | .50 | 12.2 |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 11 | 4.5 | 60.9 | .27 | 12.2 |
| John Ross, Cin. | 8 | 3.5 | 63.3 | .38 | 12.1 |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 16 | 3.6 | 56.3 | .46 | 12.0 |
| Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 15 | 3.8 | 53.5 | .42 | 11.7 |
| Preston Williams, Mia. | 8 | 4.0 | 53.5 | .38 | 11.6 |
| Adam Thielen, Min. | 10 | 3.0 | 41.8 | .70 | 11.4 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 16 | 4.7 | 50.3 | .25 | 11.2 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den.-S.F. | 17 | 3.9 | 51.1 | .35 | 11.1 |
| Diontae Johnson, Pitt. | 14 | 3.9 | 45.6 | .43 | 11.1 |
| Mike Williams, LAC | 15 | 3.3 | 66.7 | .13 | 10.7 |
| Breshad Perriman, T.B. | 13 | 2.8 | 49.6 | .46 | 10.5 |
| Marquise Brown, Balt. | 14 | 3.3 | 41.7 | .50 | 10.5 |
| Randall Cobb, Dall. | 15 | 3.7 | 55.2 | .20 | 10.4 |
| Hunter Renfrow, Oak. | 13 | 3.8 | 46.5 | .31 | 10.3 |
| Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 15 | 4.4 | 44.0 | .24 | 10.3 |
| Tyrell Williams, Oak. | 14 | 3.0 | 46.5 | .43 | 10.2 |
| Russell Gage, Atl. | 9 | 5.0 | 44.7 | .11 | 10.1 |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 16 | 3.3 | 48.7 | .33 | 10.1 |
| Sammy Watkins, K.C. | 14 | 3.7 | 48.1 | .24 | 10.0 |
| Curtis Samuel, Car. | 16 | 3.4 | 39.2 | .44 | 9.9 |
| Taylor Gabriel, Chi. | 9 | 3.2 | 39.2 | .44 | 9.8 |
| Chris Conley, Jac. | 16 | 2.9 | 48.4 | .33 | 9.8 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 12 | 3.5 | 46.0 | .25 | 9.6 |
| Danny Amendola, Det. | 15 | 4.1 | 45.2 | .11 | 9.3 |
| Auden Tate, Cin. | 11 | 3.5 | 51.7 | .09 | 9.3 |
| Zach Pascal, Ind. | 13 | 3.0 | 42.6 | .33 | 9.3 |
| Kenny Stills, Hou. | 13 | 3.1 | 43.2 | .31 | 9.2 |
| James Washington, Pitt. | 15 | 2.9 | 49.0 | .20 | 9.0 |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 11 | 3.5 | 33.0 | .30 | 8.7 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl.-N.E. | 14 | 4.0 | 36.1 | .14 | 8.5 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B. | 9 | 2.4 | 46.7 | .22 | 8.4 |
| Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 11 | 2.5 | 31.5 | .45 | 8.4 |
| Allen Lazard, G.B. | 10 | 3.1 | 41.2 | .20 | 8.4 |
| Anthony Miller, Chi. | 16 | 3.3 | 41.0 | .13 | 8.1 |
| Brandin Cooks, LAR | 14 | 3.0 | 41.6 | .14 | 8.0 |
| Demaryius Thomas, NYJ | 11 | 3.3 | 39.4 | .09 | 7.8 |
| Kendrick Bourne, S.F. | 11 | 2.2 | 26.2 | .48 | 7.7 |
| Corey Davis, Ten. | 15 | 2.9 | 40.1 | .13 | 7.7 |
| Alex Erickson, Cin. | 11 | 3.3 | 42.5 | .00 | 7.5 |
| Adam Humphries, Ten. | 12 | 3.1 | 31.2 | .17 | 7.2 |
| Marcus Johnson, Ind. | 8 | 2.1 | 34.6 | .25 | 7.1 |
| Kelvin Harmon, Was. | 8 | 3.1 | 38.8 | .00 | 7.0 |
| Josh Gordon, N.E.-Sea. | 11 | 2.5 | 38.7 | .1 | 6.9 |
| Damiere Byrd, Ariz. | 11 | 2.9 | 32.6 | .09 | 6.7 |
| TreQuan Smith, N.O. | 11 | 1.6 | 21.3 | .45 | 6.5 |
| Albert Wilson, Mia. | 13 | 3.3 | 27.0 | .08 | 6.5 |
| Paul Richardson, Was. | 10 | 2.8 | 24.5 | .20 | 6.5 |
| Demarcus Robinson, K.C. | 16 | 2.0 | 28.1 | .25 | 6.3 |
| Willie Snead, Balt. | 16 | 1.9 | 21.2 | .31 | 5.9 |
| Tajae Sharpe, Ten. | 15 | 1.7 | 21.9 | .27 | 5.5 |
| Ted Ginn, N.O. | 16 | 1.9 | 26.3 | .13 | 5.3 |
| Geronimo Allison, G.B. | 16 | 2.1 | 17.9 | .15 | 4.8 |
| KeeSean Johnson, Ariz. | 10 | 2.1 | 18.7 | .13 | 4.8 |
| Trey Quinn, Was. | 12 | 2.2 | 16.5 | .11 | 4.5 |
| Isaiah McKenzie, Buff. | 10 | 2.2 | 15.3 | .10 | 4.3 |
| Chester Rogers, Ind. | 11 | 1.5 | 16.3 | .18 | 4.2 |
| DaeSean Hamilton, Den. | 16 | 1.8 | 18.6 | .06 | 4.0 |
| Seth Roberts, Balt. | 16 | 1.3 | 16.9 | .13 | 3.8 |
| Jarius Wright, Car. | 16 | 1.8 | 18.5 | .00 | 3.6 |
| Zay Jones, Buff.-Oak. | 13 | 1.9 | 14.5 | .00 | 3.4 |
| Miles Boykin, Balt. | 16 | .8 | 12.4 | .19 | 3.2 |
That being said, I do have some interest in Gordon. If he's back in Seattle or perhaps San Francisco, he should be one of the top 3 wide receivers. Last year with Seattle he had 5 for 59, 6 for 83 and 3 for 73 games in his six contests with them, including a touchdown. The man can play.
But it's got to be at the right price in drafts (very cheap) and the right situation for the team he'll join. Until those things are clear, it would have to be a very deep roster for me to risk using a pick.
--Andy Richardson