Receiver Josh Gordon is still serving his indefinite suspension from the NFL. When exactly he’ll be allowed to return to the New England Patriots is still uncertain, though the team is still preparing for his eventual return.
Part of that preparation includes quarterback Tom Brady working with Gordon on his own time. On Instagram, Brady posted a video of him throwing passes to Gordon on a practice field somewhere. (We know that the field can’t be one at the Patriots’ facility since Gordon’s suspension prohibits him from using team resources.)
The Patriots are expected to have Julian Edelman for a full season (he missed four games last season due to a PED suspension) and project 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry to start at wideout. Free agent signings Maurice Harris, Dontrelle Inman, and Demaryius Thomas are also expected to contribute, along with incumbents Philip Dorsett and Braxton Berrios. But Gordon is a proven impact player at wide receiver and provides Brady with an explosive weapon.
Acquired by New England from the Cleveland Browns last September, Gordon appeared in 11 games with the Patriots before his suspension. He caught 40 passes for 720 yards and three touchdowns. At 18 yards per catch, Gordon had the highest average reception among Patriots receivers. And his longest reception of 55 yards was only exceeded by Chris Hogan (now with the Carolina Panthers) last season.
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Gordon left the Patriots last December, explaining to fans on social media that he needed to focus on his mental health. The NFL subsequently issued an indefinite suspension for violating the terms of his conditional reinstatement. Gordon had been suspended three previous times by the league for substance abuse violations.
The Patriots intend for Gordon to be part of their team this season, signing him to a restricted free agent tender in April. He’ll be paid a base salary of $2.025 million once he’s reinstated. Other NFL teams could try to sign Gordon from the Patriots but would have to trade a second-round draft pick for doing so.
@TomBrady @JOSH_GORDONXII More pictures from @TomBrady and @JOSH_GORDONXII workout.
Gordon was reportedly in Foxborough during the Patriots’ spring minicamp and a Super Bowl ring ceremony at owner Robert Kraft’s residence. Despite reports to the contrary, the receiver did not attend the festivities per the terms of his suspension. But he’s clearly part of the team, best demonstrated by Brady helping him to prepare for the upcoming season.
UPDATE: ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports that the Brady-Gordon workout took place on Tuesday.
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Tom Brady Posts Video of Workout with Josh Gordon [LOOK]