Patriots should view Josh Gordon as a bonus, nothing more

Josh Gordon has far more important things to focus on in his life than football, so while the New England Patriots would love to have a player of his caliber back on the field, they know that he’s just a potential bonus.

The New England Patriots will have to replace star tight end Rob Gronkowski, who retired after winning another Super Bowl ring in 2018. They drafted big wide receiver N’Keal Harry in the first round, and the former Arizona State star has the strength and athleticism after the catch to be a huge mis-match weapon as a “big” slot receiver.

Although the Patriots lost Chris Hogan and struck out on receivers in free agency like Golden Tate and Adam Humphries, they still have a strong unit on paper. Josh Gordon could be a wild card for the Patriots as one of the NFL’s most talented receivers, but New England know that they can’t count on the former Cleveland Browns star being anything more than a bonus.

Julian Edelman recently told Barstool Sports that nobody in the Patriots organization knows what the future holds for Gordon, but he added that he’s “pulling for” Gordon to “get better.”

Gordon has been suspended indefinitely with no recent updates from the league, though the Patriots did wisely re-sign him to a one-year deal in case his status changes. He was receiving in-patient treatment in Gainesville earlier this year after his latest suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

"“I don’t know anything (about whether Gordon will be reinstated) going into it. Like, legit. I’ve asked 30 people inside the organization and outside, ‘Do you know what’s going to happen?’ And no one knows not one thing. So, we’re just kind of sitting and waiting to see what the circumstances are going to be with him because he’d be a really good tool to have. He balls.”"

These comments from the Patriots current No. 1 receiver come recently after Tom Brady uploaded a clip of Gordon and him working out.

To say that Gordon “balls” is somehow an understatement, because he is one of the most talented wide receivers of this generation. Despite playing with well below-average quarterbacks, Gordon once had 1,646 yards, 18.9 yards per reception, and nine touchdowns in the 2013 Browns offense, and he put up those numbers in just 14 regular season appearances.

Gordon is a special player, but the Patriots know that he needs to focus on his health for as long as it takes.

At 28 years old, Gordon still has plenty of time left to make an impact in this league. It’s great to see that he continues to have a positive relationship with Brady, Edelman, and the rest of the Patriots organization, because while Gordon may never take the field for the Pats, the fact that he can makes him a valuable wild card for the defending champions. And it’s why he was worth the price in last year’s trade, no matter what the future holds.