After their embarrassing Week 2 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New England Patriots clearly needed help on the offensive side of the ball.
And the Cleveland Browns were all too happy to oblige.
Cleveland traded talented but troubled wideout Josh Gordon to the Patriots, along with a 2019 seventh-round draft pick Monday, in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2019.
While the jury still is out on whether or not Gordon will make an impact for a Patriots’ offense starved for downfield weapons, one former rival of the Pats isn’t happy that Cleveland made the trade.
Bart Scott, who played linebacker for the New York Jets from 2009-12, discussed the trade on Sports Illustrated TV on Saturday, criticizing the Browns’ decision to help out New England.
“For years the recipe to break down a dynasty is to steal from its personnel — not add to it,” Scott said. “That’s exactly what the Cleveland Browns did this week when they traded Josh Gordon for a fifth-round draft pick. Now last year when Cleveland needed a quarterback and they were trying to find the quarterback of their future, they reportedly offered the Patriots the highest draft-pick compensation for Jimmy G. What did Bill Belichick say? No thanks.
“Fast forward to this week, you’re going to give them arguably the top-five receiver in the league and help them out after they looked like the dynasty was beginning to crumble after the Jacksonville Jaguars destroyed them. Now, I’ll give them some credit only if Gordon becomes a Trojan Horse and wrecks the entire franchise. Hopefully, he’s a double agent.”
Gordon has the ability to be one of the best receivers in the NFL, but has been unable to stay on the field due to substance-abuse-related suspensions. He has played in just 11 of his last 65 games and almost is five years removed from leading the NFL in receiving.
The 27-year-old certainly could be the weapon Tom Brady has been missing, but there’s also a big possibility that he is off the team before December.
