Off-the-field issues aren’t the only reason why Josh Gordon might not succeed with the New England Patriots after this week’s trade from the Cleveland Browns.
What if the talented wide receiver simply doesn’t fit in New England’s offense?
It’s possible, according to NFL Media’s Mike Giardi, who broke down a potentially fatal flaw in Gordon’s game this week on WEEI’s “Not Sunday” podcast with Ryan Hannable.
“Talking to some people in Cleveland, one of the knocks on Gordon, never mind all the off-field stuff, which is obviously huge because then he’s not on the field, but he’s not a precise route runner,” Giardi said, per WEEI.com. “He’s gotten away with he’s bigger, stronger, physically more gifted than pretty much anybody who plays that position. And now the question becomes, how much does he lose having played just 11 games since the start of 2014? What does it look like for him, and how much will (Tom) Brady tolerate if he’s not precise, and again, that is the knock on him.”
Gordon has failed multiple drug tests over the years, resulting in multiple suspensions. He’s been limited to 11 regular season games since the 2013 season. While it’s possible he could reach his potential by staying out of trouble and working hard, plenty of other talented wide receivers have flopped in New England because they failed to gain Tom Brady’s trust or they struggled to grasp the Patriots’ offense.
“One of the knocks on him with the on-field stuff is he’s not a precise route runner,” Giardi said. “In fact, after Game 1 — Tyrod Taylor’s interception, I was told (Browns offensive coordinator) Todd Haley put that interception on Gordon and not on Taylor. I think there’s a lot of questions of just the impact he will make for (the Patriots).”
Gordon totaled 87 receptions for 1,646 yards with nine touchdowns in 14 games in 2013, offering a glimpse of how productive he could be. But the Browns finally had enough and traded him to the Patriots this week, perhaps factoring in his on-field flaws in addition to his off-the-field troubles.
