Gordon says wide receivers best in NFL

Recovering reciever credits Browns’ support system for helping him

One reason Triple Crown winner Justify is undefeated is he has never raced Josh Gordon.

The Browns’ wide receiver looks like a thoroughbred, thick across the chest with muscular thighs that ripple when he runs down a pass from Tyrod Taylor.

Gordon’s sculpted body, after an intense offseason of working out and conditioning, was on full display June 12 as the Browns opened mandatory minicamp. His speed, size and hands make him “a freak” in the words of Taylor.

“That’s from lifting,” Coach Hue Jackson said after practice. “He’s lost some weight. He’s doing some good things. We all have to get in better shape. That’s what I’m seeing from the group entirely.”

This is the first time Gordon has participated in the Browns’ offseason program since 2014. That summer had an unhappy ending because Aug. 27 four years ago he was suspended for the 2014 season after losing his appeal on a failed drug test.

Gordon played five of six games at the end of 2014, but missed all of 2015, all of 2016 and the first 11 games of 2017 for violating the league’s substance abuse policies. All told, he played just five of 59 games before returning for the final five games of 2017.

But here he is, mid-June in Berea, looking like the player he believes he can be if his just continues to stay on the right path.

Five years ago — the average NFL career is 3.3 years — Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards.

“You could probably find a better answer from other people, asking them what they see in me,” Gordon said before practice when asked if he’s a changed man. “But for me, I’m trying to stay consistent in what I’m doing more than anything as opposed to looking back.

“I try to stay the course and stick to what I’m doing and that’s being a professional here and at home, being a family member, being a father, being a brother, being a son, stuff like that. It’s not too complicated, so it didn’t seem like too much for me at this point to take on.”

Gordon credits Jackson and General Manager John Dorsey for leading a support staff that is a “night and day (difference). I think from when I first got here to now.

“I feel pretty good. Life is great right now. And that’s kind of all I know. Life is

good now.”

And Gordon believes the Browns receiving corps with Jarvis Landry, Corey Coleman, Rashard Higgins, Jeff Janis, himself, rookies Antonio Callaway and Damian Ratley plus tight ends David Njoku, Seth DeValve, Darren Fells and running back Duke Johnson can be pretty good, too. In fact, he carried his assessment a giant step further.

“We’re the best receiving corps in the league, in my opinion, already, just based off of talent alone,” Gordon said. “So, you put in the playbook and some guys that are hungry enough to go do it, and hopefully, we go out there and show and prove that. That’s just my opinion, but we’re not short on talent at the wide receiver position at all.

“Instinctively, I think we’re just competitive by nature which makes it that much better for me, and I think it does the same for (Landry). His football IQ, his awareness of the game and him knowing where he’s supposed to be, it’s a benefit for not only me but the entire offense.”

Landry, signed in free agency in March, led the NFL with 112 catches last season while playing for the Dolphins.

“He ain’t lying,” Landry said. “We’re playing to our strengths and playing to our ability to have Tyrod back there. And obviously, (offensive coordinator) Todd Haley calling plays. The things that Josh can do and Corey can do — we have a young cat coming up as well, Callaway. We’re just really showing a lot of flashes. I think the capability of what we all can do is endless. We can only, obviously, beat ourselves at this point.”

The Browns have definitely turned the page on being 0-16 last season.

Stephenson no-show

Donald Stephenson signed a one-year deal with the Browns as a free agent in March with the idea he would compete for a starting job at left tackle or at least add depth on the offensive line. However, he is not with the team for their mandatory minicamp.

“That will all come to a head here pretty soon,”

Jackson said. “Obviously, the guy is not here for minicamp. There are fines involved. There are all of those things that we will deal with. At this time, I only want to talk about the guys that are here and working and doing the things that they need to be doing right now.”

Stephenson also skipped OTAs, but those are technically voluntary

Stephenson is a sevenyear veteran. He played for the Chiefs from 2012-2015. He played the last two seasons with the Broncos.

• Linebacker Jamie Collins) knee, linebacker Mychal Kendricks (ankle) and Callaway (groin) did not practice June 12 and likely won’t the final two days of minicamp.

“Those guys are not totally where I want them to be at, or where our medical staff, I should say, wants them to be,” Jackson said. “There’s no rush. I think we’re definitely going to have them back for training camp.”

Training camp will open in late July at the Browns training facility in Berea.

TONY DEJAK — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon takes a break during practice at the training camp on June 12 in Berea. Gordon is finding that a sober life is rewarding him every day.