The Cleveland Browns should cut Josh Gordon now as he is no longer useful to the organization in any capacity. These were the words I uttered to myself three weeks before last year’s NFL draft, when I was given insider information that a drug suspension was pending.
I couldn’t say a word and only prayed that the news I had been given was somehow untrue, even though I knew it wasn’t. As I sat there on draft night and the Browns refused to pick a wide receiver with either of the first two draft picks, both in the first round, I hoped that maybe the news I heard was somehow wrong.
I mean, it would have to be wouldn’t it?
How else could they explain trading away from drafting Sammy Watkins, and passing up Odell Beckham and Mike Evans? The sad truth finally became clear 24 hours later as ESPN broke the news of the impending suspension on night two of the draft.
The Browns should have cut him right then and there.
It wasn’t second-hand smoke, it wasn’t bad luck, it was stupidity, addiction and selfishness by Gordon that put him in that position. Later on that summer he got pulled over for a DUI and the warning signs just kept popping up. After what seemed liked months of saga, the NFL finally ruled and gave him a year-long suspension, only to go back on that same ruling and shorten it to 10 games.
The Browns were having a great season at 6 – 4 when he came back into the fold, at least for Browns standards that is. He promptly blew everything up and took rookies Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert along for the ride with him.
I sit here again, staring at my screen not in disbelief, but in disgust, as once again Josh Gordon has failed another test and will be suspended for another full season. There is no need to go into the full history of Gordon as if you didn’t already know it then your wish to read this article wouldn’t have been nearly as strong as it was.
He has had more than three strikes, and the Browns are a good young team that does not need this major distraction any longer.
While Johnny Manziel did the right thing last week and checked himself into rehab, it is Gordon who continues to check himself into denial. The writing is on the wall and the message is everywhere for Farmer, it is time to go. Thank Josh Gordon for those big games he had last season (the 2013 season), where his stats were great but the team still lost, and show him the door.
Once and for all, the cards are on the table, every last ticket has been sold, and we all know how this story ends. Josh, thanks for coming, it has been real, now get yourself some help!