The Browns are in training camp. Receiver Josh Gordon, who missed more than two full seasons due to a substance-abuse policy suspension, currently isn’t, for reasons that still haven’t been made entirely clear. And when owner Jimmy Haslam spoke to reporters on Saturday, he tried to say as little as possible about Gordon.
“I think it is consistent throughout the organization -- [G.M.] John [Dorsey] and [coach] Hue [Jackson] have answered this question, and [co-owner] Dee [Haslam] and I have talked about it a lot == first of all, we are interested in Josh the person,” Jimmy Haslam said. “We respect his privacy, and until Josh gets back to camp, we are going to focus on the players that are here.”
Jimmy Haslam was asked whether the team has reached a “breaking point” with the player taken in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft.
“This is a difficult situation,” Haslam said. “Josh has clearly struggled with addiction == he would tell you that -- over a long period of time. I think that we saw a different Josh Gordon here in the spring and during workouts. He is working hard. We are going to continue to work with the person and try to help him out both personally and professionally until it does not make sense.”
It still makes sense, frankly, because the Browns have seen what Gordon can do on the field. In 2013, he generated 1,646 receiving yards in only 14 games, with Brian Hoyer, Jason Campbell, and Brandon Weeden throwing the passes. If they didn’t believe Gordon could still be a game breaker, the breaking point would have been reached a long time ago.
Jimmy Haslam also sidestepped a question about “reports” (it’s not a report; it’s a fact) that Gordon’s status on the “did not report” list means he must apply for reinstatement, culminating in approval from the Commissioner.
“I really do not want to comment on that,” Jimmy Haslam said. “We are focused on hoping Josh gets better and respecting his privacy. At the same time, we have a lot of good football players here that we are anxious to see this afternoon.”
So while Jimmy Haslam hasn’t reached the breaking point with Gordon, Haslam eventually reached the breaking point with questions about Gordon.
“I think that is actually enough talk on Josh,” Haslam eventually said. “I know that he is a star player and attracts a lot of attention. On the other hand, we have 90 guys at camp, and I think that we need to focus on them for now.”
With lingering talk of the Browns signing Dez Bryant, it could be that, if the signing ever happens, the Gordon won’t be one of the 90 guys at camp, or ultimately one of the 53 guys on the roster.