Report: Chiefs to Sign Reinstated Wide Receiver Josh Gordon
The Kansas City Chiefs aren't finished adding to their wide receiver room after all. Wideout Josh Gordon is planning on signing with the team, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Gordon, 30, last played during the 2019 season with the New England Patriots and, later, the Seattle Seahawks. He is being reinstated by the league, also per Schefter, after being suspended indefinitely in January. Gordon has a history of issues regarding the league's substance abuse policy but is being given another chance to prove himself at the highest level and was reinstated on Monday.
Gordon now joins the fourth team of his career. In 2013 with the Cleveland Browns, he hauled in 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named an All-Pro for his efforts during his age-22 season but has struggled to recapture that elite level of production ever since.
What does this mean for the Chiefs?
The Chiefs' defense has easily been their biggest problem this season, but the No. 2 wide receiver role on offense was a highly debated topic throughout the offseason — and that's continued three weeks into the 2021 campaign. Behind Tyreek Hill, the trio of Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle has shined in spurts but struggled in others. None of them have separated themselves from the pack.
To be frank, the Chiefs aren't getting 2013 Gordon here. They may not even be getting 2018 Gordon, who notched 737 receiving yards and four touchdowns. With that said, this is a lottery ticket signing for a player with a ton of talent. If things don't work out, it won't be a major loss investment-wise for general manager Brett Veach. If Gordon turns out to be a valuable contributor (30 is a bit old but not ancient for receivers), the risk will have been worth it. All-in-all, this is an interesting move by a team that could use an injection of fresh blood at the receiver spot.
