The Cleveland Browns have put wide receiver Josh Gordon on to the team’s active roster, which means the enigmatic downfield threat will be eligible to play in the team’s regular-season opener, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
Gordon has spent a big chunk of his time this offseason sorting out personal matters and getting his body right, but his activation from the team’s non-football injury list means he has finally cleared the final hurdles for a return to live football.
Gordon’s talent is undeniable. Even though he hasn’t played more than five games in any of the last three seasons, he’s proven to be a productive wide receiver in the limited time he’s seen the field. Last season, the Baylor product appeared in only five games but managed to notch totals of 18 receptions, 335 receiving yards, and a touchdown. He racked up those numbers despite having to play with arguably the worst starting quarterback in the league in 2017 in DeShone Kizer, alongside inferior talents who couldn’t take the defensive focus off of him.
But with the Browns employing two new. and decidedly better quarterbacks than Kizer in Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield, Josh Gordon is expected to be a bigger problem for opposing defenses.
The question, however, is whether Gordon can prevent himself from being a headache to his team.
The Browns kick off their 2018 NFL season on Sep. 9 at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.