Gordon back in business
Big WR reinstated by NFL
The ailing Patriots wide receivers unit just received a major boost.
Josh Gordon, who was indefinitely suspended this past December, has been reinstated by the NFL on a conditional basis, the league announced yesterday.
He is eligible to play in the regular season.
Gordon can rejoin the Pats tomorrow and “attend meetings and engage in conditioning work and individual workouts,” according to the league. He will be permitted to begin practicing “subject to appropriate progress on clinical care and other arrangements.” Gordon will be allowed to attend the team’s third preseason game next Thursday versus the Panthers, but he won’t play in the game because of his limited practice time.
“We are all rooting for Josh to succeed, both personally and professionally,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Everyone shares in that hope and will continue to support him to every extent possible. But as Josh acknowledged, ultimately his success is up to him.”
Acquired early last season in a trade with the Browns, Gordon posted 720 yards and averaged 18 yards per catch for the Patriots. He excelled after the catch, often taking high-percentage slant routes and turning them into 20-yard gains.
Gordon was suspended by the league in December for violating the terms of his reinstatement under the substance-abuse policy. He sat out during the team’s Super Bowl run.
As a restricted free agent, Gordon re-signed with the Pats on a one-year deal worth $2.025 million. He spent the offseason training with former Olympian Tim Montgomery in Gainesville, Florida. Lions receiver Brandon Power, who also works out at Montgomery’s facility, noted last week that Gordon stayed in top condition.
“If you train with him, you wouldn’t even know that he’s suspended or anything, ”Powell said. “He came to work every day, worked as hard as anybody there.”
This is a fascinating twist for the Patriots receiving corps, which as of Thursday looked like this: Undrafted rookie Jakobi Meyers, journeyman Dontrelle Inman, second-year pro Braxton Berrios and former Division II cornerback Gunner Olszewski, who is three months into his position switch.
In the words of Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler, “They’re tough, especially that No. 9 (Olszewski) and 16 (Meyers). Those guys are tough. I don’t know their names, but I know their organization. They only want hard-working guys.”
Rookie N’Keal Harry is battling an assortment of injuries, but he’s expected to be ready for Week 1, according to a source. Phillip Dorsett suffered a left thumb injury on Wednesday. And Maurice Harris, who looked like one of the club’s best receivers at the outset of camp, suffered an undisclosed leg injury. His status is uncertain.
Of course, Brady’s passcatchers could look radically different come Week 1. His top target, Julian Edelman, is expected to return from a thumb injury by the beginning of the regular season. With Gordon back in the mix, the Patriots could roll with a three-receiver set of Edelman, Harry, and Gordon.
While Edelman is a nightmare to cover over the middle, Gordon (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) and Harry (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) are two of the most physically imposing receivers in the league. Harry hasn’t been perfect in training camp, but his brief appearance in the preseason opener provided validation that he can excel on the boundary and make contested catches; the rookie leaped over Lions cornerback Jamal Agnew for a 25-yard gain down the left sideline in the final minute of the first quarter before exiting with an injury.
Gordon made similar plays last year. He also provided Brady with a big, athletic target on quick-hitting routes over the middle of the field.
In addition to Gordon and Harry, the Patriots have Demaryius Thomas (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) and Cameron Meredith (6-foot-3, 207 pounds) on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Thomas is approximately eight months removed from suffering a torn Achilles. He was seen working with Edelman on agility drills and sprints prior to Thursday’s practice.
If Thomas begins the year on the PUP list, a distinct possibility, he will not be eligible to play until Week 7.
The Patriots clearly sought size at the receiver position this offseason. Following the retirement of Rob Gronkowski, they drafted Harry – spending a first-round pick on a wideout for the first time under Bill Belichick – and signed Thomas and Gordon. They entered the summer likely hoping that at least one of the three would become a major contributor.
The odds of that happening just increased dramatically.