Pats, Browns make a deal for Gordon
Josh Gordon’s strange, stuttering career will start anew in New England, and Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have a new offensive toy.
The Browns severed ties for good with the problematic wide receiver by trading him and a seventh-round pick to the Patriots for a fifth-round draft pick Monday, ending a relationship the team did all it could to save.
The deal came together two days after the Browns reached a breaking point with Gordon, who has been suspended numerous times by the NFL for drug violations since the team drafted him in 2012.
“He is gone now,” coach Hue Jackson said.
Gordon played in the Browns’ season opener, but he reported to the team Saturday with an unexplained hamstring injury after practicing all week. The Browns decided to leave him behind when they traveled to New Orleans.
“We’ve done all we can do for Josh,” said Jackson, who didn’t provide any specifics about Gordon’s issues over the weekend. “It just didn’t work out.”
The Browns released kicker Zane Gonzalez after his four misses Sunday against the Saints cost the Browns their first win since 2016.
Gonzalez has been replaced by free agent Greg Joseph, who was one of several kickers to work out for the Browns following Sunday’s kicking calamity.
Gonzalez misfired on two extra points and two field-goal attempts, including a TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS MLB 52-yarder in the final seconds that would have forced overtime.
Meanwhile, the Vikings waived rookie Daniel Carlson after the fifth-round draft pick pulled all three of his field-goal attempts wide right at Green Bay.
Two of Carlson’s misses came in overtime, forcing the Vikings to settle for a 29-29 tie with the rival Packers.
The Vikings didn’t immediately add a replacement for Carlson, but coach Mike Zimmer confirmed they’ve invited free agent Dan Bailey for a physical exam.
Quarterback Carson Wentz has been cleared to return and is slated to start for the Eagles against the Colts in Week 3.
Wentz tore his left ACL and LCL on Dec. 10, 2017 against the Rams and had surgery three days later. Backup Nick Foles led the Eagles to their first NFL title since 1960 and was Super Bowl MVP.
Greg Zuerlein, the Rams’ All-Pro kicker, will be sidelined after injuring his groin during pregame warmups Sunday. The Rams are re-signing kicker Sam Ficken to take Zuerlein’s place for “at least a few weeks,” coach Sean McVay said. ... The Jaguars will be without LT Cam Robinson for the rest of the season. Robinson injured his left knee in the first quarter of a 31-20 victory against the Patriots and left the locker room on crutches. ... The Falcons disputed a report that RB Devonta Freeman will be out for as long as three weeks with a knee injury. Coach Dan Quinn said he considers Freeman day to day.