Josh Gordon may have a third NFL employer soon. The Patriots wide receiver currently sits on IR but is expected to be healthy in a week or two, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. This would clear the way to the New England departure that’s been expected.
The Patriots used a minor injury designation on Gordon and must jettison him from their IR list once he’s again healthy. Should this transaction take place after Tuesday, the 28-year-old wideout will be subject to waivers. All players cut after the trade deadline must pass through waivers.
By not releasing Gordon now, the Patriots may be banking on the talented pass catcher being claimed by a struggling team rather than one the defending Super Bowl champions will be competing with for this year’s title. Waiver priority is now sorted by teams’ 2019 records.
The former Browns All-Pro is dealing with two knee contusions. Gordon missed the Patriots’ Week 7 game but has resumed sprinting. He has 20 receptions for 287 yards and a touchdown this season.
The eighth-year receiver represents far from a safe bet as a waiver claim, however, having suspensions nullify games in each season from 2012-18. Although, he was on pace for his first 1,000-yard season since 2013 last year and is attached to only a $2MM salary.
“The Patriots used a minor injury designation on Gordon and must jettison him from their IR list once he’s again healthy. ” Sorry but that sentence doesn’t make sense. Not by the writer, but by the league. How can a team designate a player for IR only to have him back on the field in under 8 weeks?
I don’t think it said anything about having him back on the field for New England in 8 weeks. It appears the plan is to move him from an IR designation to a waiver designation. If some other team claims him he could then conceivably be activated (although I’m not certain of the time frame on that).
But once designated for IR, isn’t it a minimum of 8 weeks? Where does it state that 1 team can place him on IR and another can play him? Another loop hole being exposed by BB.
Not really.. calm down tiger!
Patriots play with the same rule book as every other team. Some teams are smarter, just like some lawyers win more cases and some builders build better buildings.
“Just like some lawyers win more cases”…and some spend a fortune to fight a $5000 case they’re dead to right on just so they can claim they’re innocent when everybody knows what you did and all of your less fortunate co-defendants are guilty.
Exactly
It is confusing JJB0811…..
It’s pretty straight forward compared to the “Tuck” rule explanation…lol.
It’s not a designation back to the same team. It’s a release designation. He cannot play for the patriots again.
So why didn’t the Jets do this with the guard? Let him get surgery and release w/o repercussions?
Because Jets are gonna Jet.
Why would they do that? makes no sense!
Because no one would claim him off of waivers and they’d end up stuck with the cap hit
Ain’t that some more Pats BS!
How is it BS? Because they knew the rule and you didn’t? They’re losing a good WR for nothing, and here you are pretending like they’re cheating.
Any move the Patriots make comes complete with some sad sack fan of a loser team whining so…
Calling Brian Gutekunst….WR available without the cost of a draft pick. Worth a flier to see if him and Rodgers can develop any chemistry.
Totally agree. The Packers can gain an advantage when they meet the Pats in the Super Bowl.
Raiders will claim him. He won’t get to the Pack. Who takes him before Raiders?
Maybe the bears?
“Eighth year veteran” for the guy who’s played in less games than the equivalent of four full seasons.
The Pats must really be impressed by Harry to let Gordon go for nothing. I don’t understand, but In Bill We Trust.
Why are they moving on from him? He still looks good when he plays.
My guess is because he is playing for cheap now and won’t want to pay him after this season. They won’t receive much by trading him now but by waiving him they’ll receive a nice conditional pick. it’s actually a very smart move. While the Pats are playing chess, everyone else is still playing checkers.
This makes sense, but they are still losing a talented and productive WR. I still think I’m missing something, is Gordon underperforming or is he about to get slapped w another suspension?
Only players who enter free agency in the offseason via a contract ending and switching teams (as opposed to a contract being terminated via waivers) count toward the compensatory pick formula.
A conditional pick would be acquired via trade, which doesn’t appear to be the Pats’ route here (although players on IR can be traded per a recent offseason rule change).
The Pats would receive nothing other than relief from the contract were Gordon to be claimed on waivers. That counts for something, but hardly qualifies for a “chess versus checkers” comparison.
Except they’re giving up the potential conditional pick by not hanging onto him.