New England Patriots fans have a lot to be anxious about ahead of the upcoming season and after news broke that he was applying, many are now asking if wide receiver Josh Gordon is reinstated, should he come back to Foxboro? Gordon was suspended indefinitely for failing a drug test last season, just as he was hitting his stride with the Seattle Seahawks. The suspension led many Patriots fans to breathe a sigh of relief as critics claimed Bill Belichick had waived the talented receiver from injured reserve prematurely.
With second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham favourite to take over from superstar Tom Brady, should the New England Patriots consider bringing back Gordon to help the receiving corps? With already so much at stake, surely re-signing Gordon would be too risky a gamble. Here’s why…
New England Patriots Should Steer Clear of Josh Gordon If He Is Reinstated
Josh Gordon Was Not That Productive With the New England Patriots
Although undeniably a talented receiver who was exceptional on occasion, overall Josh Gordon was not that productive with the Patriots. In his two years, he played in 17 games for 1,0007 yards and four touchdowns. His most notable reception was against the Indianapolis Colts when he hauled in a sweet pass from Brady which happened to be the quarterback’s 500th touchdown pass. It was also Gordon’s first touchdown as a Patriot. His most productive game came against the Green Bay Packers where he caught five receptions for 130 yards and a beautiful 55-yard touchdown.
While with the Seattle Seahawks last year, Gordon had seven catches for 139 yards through five games. These numbers are okay, but when you consider the gamble the franchise took on him and the high level of support they supposedly gave him, it could have and should have been more rewarding.
Gordon was not up to the level of production he was enjoying at the Cleveland Browns where he spent the first five years of his career and many believe his best years are behind him.
Gordon Is Too Unreliable at a Time When the Patriots Need Players to Deliver
The 29-year-old has been suspended for drug abuse five times since joining the league in 2012. If Josh Gordon is reinstated, who’s to say that he will be able to stay clean and focused enough to help out a team in a transition year? New England cannot afford to take a risk and add Gordon to their receiving corp only for him to end up being his own downfall.
With Tom Brady gone, the team’s quarterback will need reliable receivers who know their routes and are committed to helping the team thrive. Josh Gordon’s situation is too volatile and his behavior too unpredictable for a team in New England’s position to be taking risks for a second time on a player who didn’t pan out as hoped.
The Patriots Already Showed Josh Gordon a Lot of Good Faith
New England raised eyebrows when they first signed Gordon in 2018 given his penchant for violating NFL policy which is not considered the Patriot Way. But the Patriots took him under their wing and claimed they were offering him all kinds of support and guidance to keep him on the right track, something which has proved effective with troubled players in the past.
Even when Gordon announced he was stepping away from the game to focus on his mental health in December 2018, the Patriots stood by him. Shortly after that, fears were confirmed when the league announced Gordon would be banned indefinitely for violating his latest conditional reinstatement.
The Patriots stood by him again by securing him for the 2019 season, a move which was greeted with supposed gratitude by Gordon on Instagram. He also expressed commitment to getting back on the field and he was reinstated in August 2019.
In fairness to Gordon, it was a knee injury which ended his tenure with the Patriots but it wasn’t long before he was suspended by the league again for violating their policy on substance misuse after he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks.
Regardless, Gordon has given the New England Patriots zero reasons to believe he would be a committed member of the team after undermining the help and support offered to him during his time at Foxboro.
The Patriots Have Depth and Talent at Wide Receiver That Needs to Develop
With New England heading into what many consider a rebuilding year, the team has a young receiving corp which needs field time to develop. Second-year wide receivers N’Keal Harry, Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski showed flashes of promise in their rookie year last season, particularly Harry who was combating injury. The young receivers will be supported by veteran players Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu and new addition Marqise Lee.
With this much depth at wide receiver, there is a promising combination of youth, talent and experience that would not be made better by taking a gamble on Gordon. The players need time to develop chemistry with their new quarterback and with their fellow offensive players but, with a full off-season under their belt, there’s no reason they can’t become a solid receiving group.
Sure – there is room for improvement, but if Josh Gordon is reinstated, he is not that missing piece that would provide the team with security and a reliable target for Jarrett Stidham.
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