Before you even start to consider whether or not the Redskins should put a claim in for Josh Gordon, a star WR that was just released off of the IR by the New England Patriots, take a moment to consider if that would really be a good idea.
Gordon would undoubtedly boost the prospects of Washington’s receiving core, as he possesses elite speed downfield and can go up and get a majority of jump balls thrown his way. But the potential signing comes with two glaring issues: 1) ‘Flash’ Gordon comes with drama, of which the Redskins don’t need any more of, and 2) Who’s to say that Washington could even get him the ball if he were to make a stop in D.C.?
Let’s take a crack at the first reason. Gordon is an excellent talent, and he has the skills to be one of the best receivers in the league. But he comes with a lot of baggage, and that, unfortunately, has caused some distractions with his last couple of teams. Gordon started his career with the Cleveland Browns in 2012, and he repeatedly dealt with substance abuse issues and was suspended by the league multiple times. He was eventually released by the Browns and signed by the Patriots, where he found moments of success but was ultimately average despite finally playing with an above-average quarterback. In the past several weeks, an injury that held Gordon out of a few games ultimately saw him placed on the IR by the Patriots, and they subsequently released him this week. A recent report shows that there was a concern for his lack of work ethic in New England, as well.
Consider as well if the Redskins would even be able to utilize his talents going forward if they were to pick him up. Washington already has one promising receiver in rookie Terry McLaurin, and they struggle enough to get him the ball at times. With a porous offensive line and a question mark at the QB position, it’s likely that Gordon would be left wanting more touches, and the team wouldn’t have a surefire way to get them to him.
With all of the drama in Washington centered around left tackle Trent Williams that has bubbled back to the surface this week, it would be downright irresponsible for the Redskins to add him to the roster. There’s enough drama going on right now in Washington. The Redskins don’t need to add anything to the list of things to worry about.
