One of the biggest current questions in the NFL relates to the status of Browns receiver Josh Gordon. With Hall of Famer Cris Carter suggesting that the Browns should give Gordon the same wake-up call the Eagles gave Carter in 1990, will the Browns do it?
Per a source with knowledge of the dynamics of the situation, it’s not likely that the Browns would cut Gordon, but it remains possible. The source said that it would not be a surprise if the Browns decide to part ways with Gordon before training camp.
If that happens, Gordon would be exposed to the waivers system, with teams getting a shot at securing the final two years of his rookie deal based on the worst-to-first priority order. The Texans, who may need a No. 1 receiver, would have dibs.
Before the Browns would cut Gordon, they’d have to be comfortable with the possibility that Gordon would indeed wake up -- and that he’d become a potential Hall of Famer with another team. If Gordon ultimately has his potential one-year suspension upheld via the appeal process, however, there’s a chance he’ll never play again, since he’d have to continue to pass up to 10 drug tests per month even while banished from the NFL.
That’s the biggest difference between Carter and Gordon. Carter wasn’t facing a suspension; the Eagles moved on, the Vikings claimed him on waivers (blocking the Giants from getting him), and Carter was able to continue his career without missing a beat. Gordon would start his time with a new team by bidding farewell to it, possibly for a calendar year or, thanks to the recent DUI arrest, longer.
That complication could make most if not all of the other 31 teams inclined to pass on Gordon until he’s cleared to play -- and more importantly until he’s able to overcome an apparent addiction to marijuana that threatens to delay indefinitely the third season of his NFL career.