TAMPA, Fla. _ Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown insisted wide receiver Josh Gordon is doing well off the field, he's considered a dynamic piece of the offense and the organization isn't interested in trading the 2013 All-Pro selection who's in the midst of a comeback attempt.
ESPN reported earlier this week multiple teams inquired about the availability of Gordon, who led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards three years ago. The Browns responded by publicly stating they had no interest in dealing him.
"Listening (to trade offers) is probably a mischaracterization. We've said all we needed to say about it. We're not looking to trade Josh," Brown said Thursday at the team's hotel on the eve of its third preseason game.
After sitting out the early stages of training camp with a quadriceps injury, Gordon is expected to make his preseason debut when the Browns face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Friday at Raymond James Stadium.
Gordon has been suspended for 27 of the past 32 games because of recurring violations of the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He'll serve another four-game suspension to begin the upcoming regular season. He was banished from the league for the entire 2015 season and reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on July 25.
So some have speculated the Browns are trying to trade Gordon because they fear he'll slip up again. He's subject to as many as 10 NFL-administered drug tests per month. Should he fail one, he would face banishment from the league for at least another season.
"Josh is doing well," Brown said of Gordon's recovery. "He's working hard. He's in with his teammates. I think he understands the position he's in and what the opportunity is here with the Browns. He's serious about wanting to get back in the league and obviously for him getting back with his teammates here has been a great thing."
Brown was asked if there's anything Gordon, 25, can do to alleviate fears he'll violate the drug policy again.
"(Gordon) sat down with (coach) Hue (Jackson) and I when he came back, talked about why he wanted to come back, what he felt like he needed to do to come back and be successful, and we shared our thoughts about what needed to happen," Brown said. "And Josh has done a good job in terms of coming back and working his tail off and we're in constant communication with him. So it's not a static thing. It's an ongoing relationship we have with the young man, and we're working hard to support him and rooting for him, and he's doing a great job so far."
Brown declined to comment on speculation that the Browns floated the story to ESPN about other teams having interest in Gordon in an effort to drum up more trade interest.
Asked if Gordon would be available for the right price, Brown said, "The same category every other player in the league falls into? Yeah, he'll fall into the same category every other player does."
Although Gordon has a price like virtually every player in the league, the Browns plan to use him to support starting quarterback Robert Griffin III. Jackson constantly talks about creating an environment to maximize Griffin's chances to succeed, and having electrifying playmakers like Gordon is part of the vision.
"We see Josh as a great weapon for our offense," Brown said. "He's still working himself back into shape. He's done a good job getting on top of the playbook. He's kind of come back in and I think even to his surprise feels much like a veteran in the room to some of the younger receivers. It's a young room, still, a lot of young guys trying to find their way and prove themselves. So he's actually found himself quite a leadership role coming back, and we see him as a guy who can be a dynamic piece in our offense."
