What comes to mind when someone mentions the Cleveland Browns? There would probably be some that remember the good old days of the 40s and late 80s, but for most of us, we think of mediocrity. To say the Cleveland Browns have been terrible would be an understatement. In fact, the word terrible has more letters in it than the Browns have wins in the past 3 years. Ouch.
The Browns have been mocked for taking guys like Johnny Manziel and Josh Gordon. I don’t need to say much about Manziel because we all know that story. He also never lived up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of college. Now, Josh Gordon is another story completely. Gordon was drafted in 2012 and is entering his ERFA year with the Browns. What does ERFA mean exactly? Exclusive Rights Free Agent, which means that the Browns can offer Gordon a contract and he can only negotiate with the Browns. Gordon has 2 or fewer years of service in the NFL and that qualifies him for the ERFA with the Browns. Essentially, Gordon is no closer to free agency than when he was suspended three years ago.
Gordon put up good numbers in his rookie season with 50 receptions, 800 yards, and 7 touchdowns. His second year is when he blew up and made a name for himself. In his second year, Gordon had 87 receptions, 1,486 yards, and 9 touchdowns. The Cleveland Browns’ curse reared its ugly head though, and Gordon was suspended for the next 3 seasons. In 2017, the Browns gave Gordon another chance. In his first 5 games since his suspension, Gordon had 18 receptions, 335 yards, and a touchdown. He showcased what we all remember him to be (speed, strength, and agility) and with high profiled quarterbacks set to be free agents could Gordon once again return to be one of the NFL’s best receivers. Look out Browns’ fans because you could be very close with Duke Johnson, Corey Coleman, Josh Gordon, and that defense. The only piece missing is a legit quarterback….could Kirk Cousins be the savior?
