Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon won’t play Sunday in the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens after being suspended Saturday and many are now wondering if the Baylor product has played his final game with the team that selected him in the 2012 supplemental draft.
Gordon, who was reportedly suspended after missing a team walkthrough Saturday morning, has only played in five games this season. If he was suspended for the regular season finale without pay, he will not gain an accrued season towards free agency. Should that ultimately wind up being the case, Gordon would then be a restricted free agent after the 2015 season when his current contract expires.
in other words, Gordon likely cost himself several millions of dollars for the 2016 season if he fails to get credit for the 2014 season. In addition, the Browns would likely easily be able to retain Gordon with a restricted tender after the 2015 season, should that be the route they choose to take.
It will be interesting to see if the NFLPA gets involved in this but it sounds like the Browns had every right to suspend Gordon for the season finale. Regardless, you would have to imagine that Gordon won’t be happy about possibly losing an accrued season.
One would think that the Browns might finally be fed up with Gordon, who led the NFL in 2013 with a franchise-record 1,646 receiving yards in 14 games. While he has definitely shown that he can more than hold his own and produce at the NFL level, he remains a huge wild card as far as his dedication and off-the-field behavior goes.
Gordon missed the first 10 games of the 2014 due to him being suspended for violating the substance abuse policy. In the five games that he’s played in since being reinstated, he’s caught 24 passes for 303 but has failed to score.
The Browns might be best served trying to trade Gordon during the offseason and preferably prior or during the draft. It seems like a divorce might be best for both sides.
I’m sure Gordon’s situation will be a huge talking point throughout the weekend and it will be interesting to see if he is paid for the season finale. Right now it’s not looking like he will be.
