More than 24 hours after the team announced it, the New England Patriots’ trade for wide receiver Josh Gordon finally became official Tuesday afternoon.
The deal appeared on the NFL transaction wire, signifying Gordon, who injured his hamstring during his final days with the Cleveland Browns, had passed his Patriots physical. The 27-year old is expected to practice with the Patriots on Wednesday ahead of Sunday night’s road game against the Detroit Lions.
The Patriots sent a 2019 fifth-round draft pick to Cleveland for Gordon and will receive a 2019 seventh-rounder if he plays in fewer than 10 games for them this season.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick refused to discuss Gordon in a radio interview Monday evening and during his conference call with reporters Tuesday morning, saying the deal had not yet been finalized.
The Patriots also made two minor transactions Tuesday, re-signing wide receiver Jace Billingsley to the practice squad and moving wideout Riley McCarron to the “practice squad injured” list.
Billingsley, a former Lion, spent two weeks on New England’s practice squad earlier this month before being released last Wednesday. McCarron was released and re-signed to the practice squad after playing in the Patriots’ season opener.
