Cleveland Browns: Josh Gordon Can Help his Own Case

For the ninth time since 1999, the Cleveland Browns have a different head coach. Now the franchise is hoping a once-familiar face can revive his NFL career.

Josh Gordon is working to try to convince that he has changed his ways and is worth being reinstated by the NFL, whatever that means. Assuming Gordon is ultimately reinstated, he then has to convince the Cleveland Browns and Hue Jackson that he is worth keeping that go beyond his off field issues. If Gordon is intent on convincing the NFL and the Browns he is deserving of reinstatement, he can take some steps to improve his situation.

Gordon was virtually suspended for the entire Mike Pettine era. He played in just five games in the two years Pettine coached. He may have never even met John DeFilippo, the team’s offensive coordinator last year.

It’s not a question if Gordon has the capability to be a top receiver in the NFL. He proved he could do it, albeit for just one season. The question with Gordon is if he could keep it together off the field and if he wanted it badly enough on the field.

On the practice field, Gordon was a player who would dog it on routes, give questionable effort at times and not really push himself to improve as a player. And with three different head coaches in the three seasons (which is remarkable in its own right) he’s actually played, no one has ever really held Gordon accountable; at least not publicly.

So much of what Gordon is doing now is using social media, however rarely, that he is looking for a fresh start. He really wants people to believe he’s serious this time. All of that sounds good and the Cleveland Browns desperately need a true No. 1 receiver, which Gordon can be, but to this point, there is nothing to suggest Gordon is reliable. He’s going to have to prove it.

One step he could make that would suggest Gordon is more serious about his career is firing his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. The move is warranted, given the way Gordon earned his last suspension.

The story goes that Gordon was on a plane with several Browns teammates going to Las Vegas and drank alcohol, which violated the terms of his being an active member of the NFL. As stupid as that all sounds, and it may well be, this is a major failing by his agent.

Basically, Rosenhaus should’ve been thoroughly educated on Gordon’s situation and made it painfully clear to his client what he could and more importantly, what he couldn’t do. Either Rosenhaus failed in his job of making Gordon aware of this or Gordon willfully ignored this counsel and drank anyway. Both scenarios are possible but Rosenhaus’s failure in this situation is more plausible.

Rosenhaus has a large number of clients and the time he can spend individually with specific players is limited. In a lot of ways, players like having Rosenhaus as an agent because he is so minimally involved and they basically run their own careers. Rosenhaus negotiates their contract, takes his percentage and for the most part, his clients are on their own.

This begs the question – Why are players paying a premium amount of money for representation and not getting bang for their buck?

Not only did this situation cost Gordon by not accumulating a year on his contract and he has the exact same contract situation he did a year ago, but that latest suspension could cost him millions if and when he does get to the end of the contract and is trying to negotiate a longer term deal. And now, Gordon is in a position where if he makes another mistake, his NFL career may well be finished.

Gordon should feel as though he got bad representation and that failure cost him dearly. Beyond that, Gordon needs to be honest with himself as a person. He may not want an agent who is constantly looking in on him, but that is what he needs.

Gordon needs someone to protect him from himself. Having the time and vested interest to know everything about Gordon’s situation and how to best ensure he is able to enjoy a meaningful and profitable NFL career. Making sure Gordon is where he is supposed to be, when he is supposed to be and knowing and making sure Gordon knows what he can and can’t do.

Nov 23, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon (12) is interviewed on the field after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. The Browns defeated the Falcons 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

If Gordon makes that change from Rosenhaus to an agent with a much smaller clientele that is focused on him and his individual success, that would seem like a real, meaningful step that Gordon understands how fleeting his NFL opportunity is.

When Gordon was suspended the last time he basically excused the whole thing by saying he’s 23. He doesn’t have a problem, despite almost a decade of documented issues with drugs and is simply young. And he is young. Now, Gordon (turns 25 in April) could still have a promising career ahead of him, but he’s basically got two strikes against him and hasn’t shown the ability to stop chasing breaking balls out of the strike zone.

Changing his agent might be the first hint that Gordon understands the reality he now finds himself. At this point, Gordon hasn’t really done anything else to acknowledge his situation. It’s more about getting a fresh start and how much work he’s putting in while he awaited for time to pass and now, as he hopes to be reinstated by the NFL.

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The Browns should know the answer regarding Gordon before free agency starts and the certainly before this year’s draft. They need to vet Gordon and figure out how comfortable they are with him, where he is as a person. Nevertheless, it is hard to imagine that Gordon would stop them from making a move in free agency or the draft.

Between the risk involved with Gordon and the minimal amount of money on his contract, they are not handicapped in keeping him at all. Gordon could provide a huge benefit to Hue Jackson’s offense, giving them a huge, athletic receiving threat that could play opposite Travis Benjamin (assuming he’s resigned).

Obviously, the Browns could also trade Gordon or simply release him if they don’t believe he can be a beneficial part of the team. The risk in keeping him is minimal, so it stands to reason he’ll get his shot to prove himself with the Browns, but Jackson is not likely to put up with the lack of effort in practice or off the field he’s shown to this point.

Maybe Jackson and Al Saunders, the Browns’ wide receivers coach, can challenge Gordon to reach his potential. If he’s no longer distracted off the field and focused on it, the sky appears to be the limit for Gordon and maybe he can get back to form he showed in 2013, when he caught 87 balls for 1,646 yards and 9 touchdowns with 9 plays over 40 yards; all in just 14 games.

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It’s all there for Gordon if he wants it, but the best moves he can make could happen before he gets back on the practice field. Changing agents and surrounding himself with people who enhance his life (as opposed to dragging him down which he’s had to this point) could go a long way in convincing both the NFL and the Browns that he has been worth the wait and be a big part of 2016 and beyond.

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