Browns trade Josh Gordon to the Patriots: Who won the trade?
The Patriots’ acquisition of Josh Gordon is definitely a gamble, but the price they paid the Browns is pretty small for a player with his talent.
The Browns are happy to be rid of the headache that is Josh Gordon, but the Patriots are more than happy to bring in a player with the potential to turn into a Pro Bowl receiver. The real question is whether or not Cleveland got enough in the deal.
According to Ian Rapoport, the Browns will receive a conditional fifth round pick from New England in exchange for Gordon. Presumably, the compensation will vary depending on whether or not Gordon stays on the Patriots roster for the remainder of the season. Bill Belichick and company are not going to give up any sort of meaningful draft capital for Gordon if he flames out of the league.
Despite Gordon’s potential, it’s hard to imagine the Browns getting a high pick for such a distressed asset. They robbed themselves of significant leverage when they made it clear Gordon would be released if a trade offer didn’t come through. That likely increased the quantity, but not quality of their trade offers.
Without delay, let’s dig in to who really won this intriguing transaction.
Cleveland Browns
This is a disappointing move for the Browns. The entire organization spent a ton of time and energy on Gordon. In the end, letting him leave for a conditional fifth round pick just feels hollow.
On the other hand, no one was going to pony up a high draft choice for a player with Gordon’s level of baggage. He’s one drug incident away from never playing in the NFL again. That’s a risky proposition with a player with his history of struggles in that department.
Still, the Browns should have done better. They should have been able to get a better asset for a player with Pro Bowl upside. A fifth round pick without any sort of protection would have even been too low. Cleveland failed to get a pick with sufficient upside or protection in this deal.
Grade: D
The #Patriots have agreed to trade for #Browns WR Josh Gordon, I’m told. Done deal. IT’s for a conditional 5th round pick.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 17, 2018
New England Patriots
This trade went just as you might have expected given the two organizations involved. The Patriots were able to provide a supremely talented player at a position of great need in exchange for a very weak draft asset. Even if Gordon never plays a snap for the Patriots, it’s well worth the risk.
The upside is obviously tremendous. The Patriots’ receiving corps could ultimately transform from a big weakness to a strength in the course of one season. Right now, Chris Hogan is holding down the No. 1 spot with a relatively anonymous group around him. After Week 4, Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon may knock him down to the No. 3 target for Tom Brady.
Next. Patriots are the perfect landing spot for Josh Gordon. dark
Yes, losing a fifth rounder might rob New England of the ability to nab a cheap starter, but the odds of picking a productive player at that spot in the draft are pretty low. This deal is a huge win for one of the smartest front offices in the NFL.