The Browns are dealing with several injuries at wide receiver at the moment, but they’re drawing closer and closer to getting Josh Gordon fully back into the mix.
Gordon, who has yet to practice with the team because of a quad issue, took part in Sunday’s walkthrough and coach Hue Jackson deemed him “very close” to being given the green light to take the next step in his return to action. Jackson said that the team has worked to make sure that Gordon is fit enough to step right in when he’s cleared to practice and to set up a process that keeps him fit when he serves his four-game suspension to start the year.
“No, I don’t think it will be about conditioning,” Jackson said. “There’s been a process that we’ve put in place to get him to where he needs to be overall, not just the conditioning, not just this or that. It’s encompassing everything to make sure that when he is out here, he’s out here for the time he’s here — obviously, we know he won’t be around for the first four weeks — and then making sure that after that time he’ll be where he needs to be when he’s able to get back.”
One facet of Gordon’s condition that has improved is his weight. Jackson said he was overweight upon his return to the team from missing all of last year while suspended, but that “some of its come off already” and the coach is confident that Gordon will be where he needs to be before too long.
Rookie Corey Coleman also took part in the walkthrough Sunday, signaling his return from a hamstring injury that halted a strong camp isn’t far away either.