https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QAiLZKL5hI
The Patriots once again proved that the team building process goes well into the season as they acquired wide receiver Josh Gordon from the Browns.
My initial reaction is just wow, because it’s so exciting to think what Josh Gordon playing at his best would do for the Patriots’ offense. But the chances seem remote that Gordon not only buys into the Football Machine but that he stays the straight and narrow, immersing himself in the culture and takes to it like Moss 2007.
Perhaps a more plausible case will be that McDaniels throws him some Patterson-esque plays, and he isn’t quite Moss 2007, but he’s a guy that can chip in with a couple plays a game (CAN YOU SAY UNDERNEATH CROSSERS?). After last weekend, even a couple plays per game sounds appealing.
It will be interesting to see how problem child Gordon takes to New England. It’s a huge opportunity for him, to finally tap his unquestionable talent, or let it all go to waste probably for the last time. It’s no easy task, he’ll have to totally buy in, and it’s been apparent that totally buying in was never his thing in Cleveland. Still, that’s Cleveland.
The Patriots have strong organizational stability and can afford to roll the dice on Gordon. He’ll be treated just like everyone else and he’ll either cut it or be cut.
That we’re at this point says a lot about the story of the Patriots receiver corps. I can’t fault the Pats for not trying. Maybe they should’ve expended more draft capital but they’ve taken plenty of shots there as well as in free agency. Everyone just keeps flaming out or getting hurt. This offseason we thought it was a problem to have so many solid-potential receivers who had all offseason to work with Brady.
Then Matthews and Britt get hurt/cut, Malcolm Mitchell‘s knee was done and neither McCarron nor Berrios showed much in August and the offense was back to hoping Dorsett could replace Cooks, Hogan could replace Amendola and Edelman for the first four weeks by himself. And the lack of a running game has exploited that lack of depth and big play ability.
Was getting Gordon a sign of desperation? Sure, but not because they hadn’t already been throwing everything they could at the wall.
I’ve gotten wayyyy too excited over the years about pickups like John Lynch, Joey Galloway, Albert Haynesworth, and Chad Johnson. Gordon could just as easily be gone this time next week and the Patriots will continue to beat the bushes for other receivers. The Pats have had a lot of swings and misses, but they’re due to hit on one of these guys sooner or later.
Maybe it will be Gordon.
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Two thoughts and a question:
The other element to consider is time… they only “need” Gordon to keep it together until Edelman returns. With Edelman’s return the pressure on the other receivers diminishes considerably.
Not achieving Moss 2007 levels does not equate to failure. There’s a lot of room in between Moss 2007 value and the value expected from a 5th round draft pick.
Speaking of which, I know there’s a scale for draft pick value but is there an equation for converting draft value into pts/player production?