Preview: Browns vs. Steelers, plus DirecTV vs. Raycom – WFNY Podcast – 2014-09-06
September 6, 2014Week 1 Inactives: Browns vs Steelers
September 7, 2014What do you get when you have a front office and coaching staff with entirely different outlooks on a reasonable timeframe for success? You get a majority owner who is forced to break a tie and ultimately end trade discussions that would result in a Pro Bowl wide receiver being dealt for a second-round draft choice.
CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports that the Cleveland Browns, led by Joe Banner, were on the verge of sending Josh Gordon to San Francisco for a second-round draft pick and players. The coaching staff, led by Rob Chudzinski, preferred elevated chances of winning and strongly opposed such a move. Jimmy Haslam was the tie-breaking vote and nipped the discussions.
Gordon’s pattern of behavior and decision making dated back to his erratic college years, and, with him progressing through the NFL’s drug program and subject to increasingly stiff penalties, Cleveland’s former regime, led by ex-team president Joe Banner, was very open to dealing the youngsters even in the midst of 2013’s breakout season.
Former Browns coach Rob Chudzinski worked diligently with Gordon, on a personal level, and was heavily invested in seeing him flourish, sources said, and he and his staff were not nearly as willing to entertain dealing Gordon. Ultimately, Haslam put an end to any lingering trade discussions leading up to last October’s trade deadline, sources said.
The 49ers, who lost out to rival Seattle in trading for receiver Percy Harvin earlier in 2013, were most committed to landing Gordon (receiver Michael Crabtree was hurt at the time and San Francisco’s offense was sputtering in what it hoped would be a Super Bowl season), sources said, with ongoing inquiries. Other teams expressed interest as well but once things progressed to a point where the 49ers established a second-round pick, in addition to other players, on the table.
Nothing like attempting to trade a incredibly talented guy who’s in need of help, eh? The players in question were not a part of the report, but La Canfora did add that the team went through fairly exhaustive measures to “incubate” Gordon, who was recently suspended for violating the NFL Substance Abuse policy while being in Stage 3 of the program.
There is continued debate regarding the league’s drug program and the NFLPA’s endeavor to place it more in line with the rest of professional sports and the International Olympic Committee. How any changes to the league’s policy on substance abuse impacts Gordon and his season-long suspension remain to be seen.
For those interested: The Niners’ second-round pick in 2014 ended up being Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde.
—
(Photo: Scott Sargent/WFNY)
7 Comments
Was this the first time Jimmy looked at Banner/Lombardi and asked himself, “What have I done?”
I’m sure Chud really appreciated Big Jim having his back.
“Nothing like attempting to trade a incredibly talented guy who’s in need of help, eh?”
Gordon could get help in San Francisco or anywhere else. Whether or not he is in need of help should not be a consideration in discussing a trade.
Actually, this is a classic example of inherent GM-coach conflict. The GM thinks long term and the coach thinks short term.
If Joshie comes back and is never suspended again, thank you Jimmy. If he comes back and is suspended again and again, meddlesom Jimmy. Anything in between is just a fan Rorshach test.
Could this trade have had a term that sent Harbaugh to us after the season?
As a side note, interesting that Banner wanted to trade for Harbaugh, but tweeted a prediction this morning that he won’t be the coach in San Fran next season.
remember the open threads?
Haslam’s fingerprints all over this team, unfortunately!