Nate Burleson Will Serve As Mentor To Josh Gordon

Nov 24, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson (13) celebrates his touchdown during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns signed WR Nate Burleson this offseason to help the team’s passing game, but he will serve more than a receiver on the roster. Burleson will also serve as a mentor for WR Josh Gordon. Burleson will be a veteran presence on the team and in the wide receiver film room that can get Gordon moving on a good path.

"“If I can take a guy out to dinner, hang out outside of the locker room, then I’m definitely going to do that because that’s one of the more important times when the lessons are learned, when you’ve got the jerseys off and you kind of unveil yourself and it’s not all football,” Burleson said, via the Akron Beacon Journal. “That’s how I got so close to the receiving corps in Detroit. That’s how I was able to really get to know Calvin on a personal level because we spent so much time with each other off the field. That’s the plan. I’m going to continue to do that. That’s part of my nature, though. That’s just who I am. I’m a social butterfly, and I feel like positive conversation, positive reinforcement is always going to supersede anything else.” – Pro Football Reference"

Gordon was suspended for the first 2 games of last season for violating the league rules on substance abuse. He will need to keep clean or he will face more disciplinary action.

Gordon is already one of the top receivers in the league and he didn’t have a real quarterback to throw him the football last season. He is going to have someone new throwing him the ball this year and he will have some guidance from a teammate. The sky is the limit for the young receiver. He just needs to stay on a good path.