Getty Pete Carroll's Seahawks are making changes this offseason.
The Seattle Seahawks have a complicated history with Josh Gordon over the past two seasons as the receiver has only played in five games since his move to the Pacific Northwest. At his request, the Seahawks released his rights over the offseason to allow him to briefly play in the Fan Controlled Football league. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Gordon is once again applying for reinstatement to the NFL, and, if approved, would become a free agent.
“Josh Gordon officially has submitted his reinstatement letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and hopes to be with a team for training camp, per a league source,” Schefter tweeted on July 2nd. “The NFL has been randomly drug testing Gordon for the past three months and is said to have passed all tests.”
Clayton: Seahawks Should Make Another Run at Gordon
ESPN 710 Seattle’s John Clayton suggests the Seahawks could make a third run at Gordon heading into the 2021 season.
“While most teams won’t give players two or more chances, the Seahawks should try to get him again if he’s available,” Clayton explained. “In 2019, Gordon struck up a good relationship on the field with Russell Wilson and did well as a third receiver in five games with Seattle. While the Seahawks like second-round pick D’Wayne Eskridge as a candidate for their No. 3 receiver job, Gordon is big (6 foot 3) and a former Pro Bowler. His return would make the offense deeper and better, something Wilson is looking for.
“…Clearly if Gordon does come back to the NFL he’ll play at the minimum salary, so there would be little risk for the Seahawks. What do they have to lose by signing him?”
The NFL Changed Gordon’s Status Days Before the WR Was Set to Make His 2020 Debut
Gordon played five games for the Seahawks before being suspended indefinitely by the NFL in December 2019. The Seahawks receiver applied for reinstatement and was briefly added to the active roster last December.
Days before he was set to make his 2020 debut, the NFL revealed Gordon had broken the terms of his conditional reinstatement, per NFL.com. Gordon was once again suspended indefinitely in January, and it will be worth watching to see if the receiver receives a decision from the league before the season starts.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has praised Gordon throughout the process, but it is unclear if the Seahawks are willing to be in limbo on his status for a third straight season. Seattle could await the NFL’s decision before making a move.
“I just had a chance to visit with him for the first time,” Carroll noted on Seattle’s KIRO Radio 97.3 FM on December 4, via ESPN’s Brady Henderson. “We’ve been waiting for this for some time now, and we’re really thrilled to be getting him back. He’s a really good kid. He really gets along with everybody. He’s just a sharp football player, hard worker, just a tremendously classy athlete. Everything comes so easy with him. He’s so fluid and just such a beautiful player. There’s been only [welcoming thoughts] waiting on him. He made a great first impression when he was here before [2019]. Work ethic, coming through, tough plays, all that kind of stuff. We’re just anxious to include him and see if we can get him involved and make him more of a factor when he gets comfortable with us.”