The Cleveland Browns are seeing Josh Gordon in action at practice for the first time in over a year, and he’s making quite the impression. Cornerback Joe Haden, speaking with media on Sunday, expressed a sense of awe at what he’s seen from the receiver.
“He still looks the exact same and it’s just crazy,” cornerback Joe Haden said (h/t Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “He looks a little bigger. I don’t know how that happened, but he’s still out there running around, looking the same, running his routes, floating. It still looks effortless.”
Gordon was forced to take an entire year off after being suspended for violating the NFL’s drug policy. He will be suspended the first four games of the upcoming season after being conditionally reinstated last month (more on that here).
Before Gordon’s off-field issues became a major issue, defending him was a huge problem for opposing defenses. After missing the first two games of the 2013 NFL season, he ended up leading the league in receiving yards (1,646) on 87 catches, including nine touchdowns.
The Browns have been giving Gordon work with the first-team offense. Head coach Hue Jackson said, “It’s important for him to be with the ones because I think he’s going to be one of our better players.”
Should the dynamic receiver continue to remain in the good graces of the NFL and is available to play in Week 5, he’ll join Terrelle Pryor and rookie Corey Coleman to give the Browns one of the most intriguing trios of receivers in the league.