Indians All-Star Break Review: The Infielders
July 12, 2012Indians’ Nick Hagadone out 8-10 Weeks
July 12, 2012The Cleveland Browns didn’t leave anything to chance in bidding a second rounder to select former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon. It has been confirmed on NFL.com, so Cleveland will have another receiver added to Mike Holmgren’s infamous “pile” that he talks about.
Tom Heckert and company must have really liked Gordon, or they were paranoid about bidding on another receiver and losing out again. The Browns were reportedly second in line via the lottery behind the Buffalo Bills according to Jason LaCanfora on Twitter. That means that only the Bills could have jumped the Browns should they have been willing to also part with a second round pick.
Apparently, bidding a third round pick wasn’t worth the risk for the Browns.
If Josh Gordon becomes a starter, it’s terrific value. You get the guy early. If Gordon doesn’t become a starter eventually, it’s a double-whammy where the Browns won’t get any production this season and also won’t have a coveted second-round pick when the next NFL draft rolls around.
Here’s hoping the tall, fast receiver is all the Browns seemingly think he can be.
By the way, this puts popular receiver Carlton Mitchell on notice that it’s time to produce. He possesses many of the same physical characteristics of Gordon, but has yet to contribute to the team on Sundays. Mitchell was a 6th round choice, and now the Browns have added a guy with a second round pick. The pressure’s on the third-year player.
[Related: Supplemental Draftee Josh Gordon Runs 4.52 40-Yard Dash]
90 Comments
Haven’t been able to find the actual number for hand-size, but stories include him not being able to strap up size XXL gloves at Baylor.
haha…. I hope that is a joke. Cant believe anyone actually does a mock supplemental draft.
I’ll still keep your torch prepared! 😉
I would have felt better using a 3rd pick
I like Ike (this analysis, anyway). It makes me feel 100% good about it. Thanks.
If Josh Gordon has first-round talent (or close to it) as many seem to believe he should be OK. After all, if Greg Little can sit out a year and still catch 61 passes from a QB combo of Coly McCoy/Seneca Wallace without any running game, Gordon should be OK with Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson.
Plus this isn’t a one year thing. Yes, they gave up a draft pick next year, but they still have a player for that pick. It may take Gordon most of the season to get back up to speed, but if he works out that frees up the Browns to fill a need other than wide receiver in next year’s draft.
Thanks, brah. I honestly like the TRich and Weeden picks. I’m concerned about our WR corps but with this addition and with our new RT, we may have a completely redone offense.
But if Buffalo bid a 3rd, we wouldn’t have him.
I’m OK with growing pains too, the key word being “growing”. Sure experience sounds great, but most experienced Browns have experience losing. I’d be willing to gamble on some young, talented dudes with a chip on their shoulder. I want to see growth though.
I don’t think there was any conceivable combination of draft and FA move that would have kept the Browns from another T10 pick next year. The team is just too young.
So was RG3 (in terms of picks)
It’s like the eternal flame in my backyard, brother.
atta boy
very much looking forward to your “Supplemental Draft Winners and Losers” post, Mr. C
You almost need the bigger recievers against Balt and Pitts. If you can have a guy that can get position and not be pushed around, i think that is important in the NFL esp with the protection of the offensive players.
I hadn’t thought of it this way. I like this line of thinking.
Another perspective will be comparing this guy to Josh Morgan (2 years and $11.5 million) and Pierre Garcon (5 years and $42.5 million with $20.5 mil guaranteed.) Garcon also will cost $20 million in cash over the first two years. The cap number for the first two years is smaller than that, but that’s still a hefty amount of Snyder’s money from a pure cash standpoint.
Indeed. If they keep five you would have to think Little, Gordon, and Cribbs are locks. Beyond that it’s a battle with MoMass having an advantage for one of those last two spots. So between Norwood, Benjamin, and Cooper; who do you keep?
I would assume Mitchell and Cooper to practice squad but with how cooper has been impressing who knows?
Love this move, I can’t wait to see the new-look offense play!!! TRich, Weeden, Little Flash Gordon, this is awesome!!! Massaquoi, Norwood and Mitchell should be worried though because Little, Benjamin and now Gordon are the only guys with a basically guaranteed roster spot at WR. Add Cribbs to that crew because there is no way he gets cut and all of a sudden you have 2 WR spots available to Massy, Norwood, Mitchell and even Josh Cooper(longshot, but worth mentioning). This is very exciting and we now have some GAMERS on our Offense. I know trades are uncommon in Football, but Hardesty, Mitchell, Massy, Ogy-bear, Norwood, Wallace and McCoy are all on the outside looking in. Some of them could net us some draft picks. What do you think?
just watched some video clips of Gordon and what jumped out at me is how fluid his movements are for a guy that size, just glides effortlessly, great balance, kind of athlete that would excel at any sport he tries.
Looks like a legit big play guy to me. Guessing he’ll end up being exactly as good as he wants to be, because physically it’s all there.
I so much support this rather than overpaying for Garcon. Garcon is a very nice, productive player who’s probably peaking right now. If Gordon’s head is on straight I think that’s his worst case scenario as an NFL receiver.
All right, who broke the seal on the sugary kids drink? The warning on the label expressly says “Do Not Open Before April 2013.” {buuuurrp]
I love the photo of Gordon posing with one of Roger Goodell’s assistants while holding a Browns jersey with a big S2 on it.
Mitchell played 3, but was a RS Junior. He was at USF 4 total years.
Gordon was in college for 3 years, 2 at Baylor where as a true sophomore he put up nearly equal stats to Mitchell (but with more TDs) and his 3rd year he sat out. I think had he not had issues hitting over 1k yards was an easy projection for him, especially with RG3s emergence last year.
i apologize. profootball reference I thought put a placeholder in for the RS campaigns.
I would’ve felt better using an 8th round pick
Excellent
EXACTLY!
missed that. Since the supp draft was all via email, I thought he’d still be searching for the Do_Not_Reply confirmation that got caught up in his spam filter so he could print it, pose it, tweet it.
It was a brilliant move by Heckert. Its remarkable that he addressed QB, RB, WR, RT, DE, and LB depth this offseason AND did it without destroying our cap room. Still have the 3rd highest cap space in the league. Give Tom Heckert and even Holmgren credit for a job well done.
GO BROWNS!!!!!!!
I’m beginning to think some of you can talk yourself into anything. What if we gave up a 1st rounder? Do you have any sense of value? A pick in the top 40 is gold. I like Josh Gordon a lot, but the fact is not a single other team placed a 2nd round bid for him. So the Browns could have had the same guy and kept their high 2nd netting them a much needed stud at DE/CB/LB pick one.
But if you’re more comfortable ignoring opportunity cost to be excited that we finally got an unproven receiver with upside (wasn’t that available in Stephen Hill this April?) then keep posting on as if the front office should be commended for choosing incorrectly.
I would have taken that risk. Buffalo has 3 nice recievers (Stevie Johnson, Donald Jones, David Nelson), and a 4th who’s ready to be a burner in TJ Graham. If we miss then we address the WR with our super high 2nd rd pick that we just saved.
It’s easy to catch 61 passes when you’re thrown at 9 times a game. Were you watching? How many times was he running the wrong route, or dropping the ball? (3rd most drops in the league). It’s too early to say Little is good, if anything so far he’s only proven how far away he is from becoming what we hoped.
Of course the browns knew no was going to put in a 2nd round bid. Idiots.
Never said Little was a finished product. Just that, under similar circumstances and with an inferior supporting cast, he put up decent numbers in his first year.
One thing with Little is his production went up in the second half of the season as he got himself back into game shape and learned the offense better. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Gordon do the same this year, especially with what could be a better offense around him.
It would be nice if our front office showed they have a feel for the rest of the league once in a while.
If Buffalo also puts in a third then the Browns wouldn’t have gotten him.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/12/supplemental-draft-lottery-may-have-forced-clevelands-han/
Maybe you should clue them in on your sources.
As a Oklahoma State fan, I will tell you that if Coop makes the team, you will be happy. He was my favorite receiver. Yes, JB could make all the high flying ESPN catches but Coop was the one that when JB started dropping balls, he was always consistent. He is great at getting open and he never stops running route and getting open until the whistle blows. That is the reason that Brandon likes him so well. He is a team player and will give 110% no matter what. I really hope he makes it and am looking forward to my first year as a Browns fan.
Worth a chance, Buff has 1 stud WR, and 2 WRs who have developed nicely. If we missed out, there’s always some decent roster cuts (I’m thinking speedy Louis Murphy from Oakland)
Source: Browns get outbid for RG3, then try to up bid as they underestimated Washington’s offer. Feel for league rating: low