Josh Gordon Released From Rehab Facility
Embattled Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been released from an inpatient treatment facility, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, citing league sources. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer confirms the report.
Schefter reports that Gordon was released last week after completing the 30-day program in New Hampshire, which is said to be the most intensive treatment that he has gone through. One league source added that Gordon is doing “a lot better.”
We heard late last month that the Browns plan to part with Gordon, and Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports that those plans have not changed, even though Cleveland controls Gordon’s rights for two more seasons. Both Ulrich and Schefter report that Cleveland would like to trade the Baylor product, and there is some question as to whether he can be dealt, since he remains suspended and there is no indication that he will be reinstated by the league prior to Tuesday’s 4pm trade deadline. Cabot, however, reports that the Browns can indeed try to trade Gordon by Tuesday, even if he is not reinstated.
Gordon was set to return from a four-game suspension on October 9 against New England, but he chose to enter rehab instead. He has been suspended for 35 of the Browns’ last 40 games because of recurring violation’s of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. If he is, in fact, eligible to be traded, the Eagles are one team that would seem like a perfect match on paper.
Now let’s take a quick look at several more Browns-related items:
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that cornerback Joe Haden has been the subject of trade talks, and if he can prove he’s healthy, Rapoport believes those talks could really heat up in advance of the trade deadline.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports confirms recent reports that LT Joe Thomas is unlikely to be moved, given that the Browns are seeking greater compensation than the market will bear.
Vikings, Colts, Seahawks Seeking O-line Help
With Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline approaching, the Vikings, Colts and Seahawks are looking to bolster their offensive lines for potential playoff runs, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). It’s unclear if any of those teams will offer enough for either of the best offensive tackles potentially on the move – the Browns’ Joe Thomas or the 49ers’ Joe Staley – says Cole, who adds that it would likely take at least a second-round pick to land one of them.
Despite his Hall of Fame-caliber resume, interest in the 31-year-old Thomas is limited, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Friday. Browns head coach Hue Jackson has shot down rumors that the team is shopping the nine-time Pro Bowler, and Thomas has made it clear that he doesn’t want to leave Cleveland, but general managers around the league expect a deal to materialize by the deadline. Any team that trades for Thomas would be on the hook for the cap charges remaining on the seven-year, $84MM extension he signed in 2011. Thomas has a $9.5MM cap number for this year and a $10MM figure in each of the next two seasons, though there’s no dead money left on his deal.
Staley, 32, hasn’t achieved Thomas’ level of success, but the 10th-year man has nonetheless been a terrific and durable lineman throughout his career. Now, there are conflicting stories on whether the five-time Pro Bowler is on the block. Staley’s contract isn’t nearly as club-friendly as Thomas’, with a combined $13.2MM in dead money remaining from 2017-19 and individual cap holds of $8.3MM, $11.15MM, and $7.7MM in both 2018 and ’19.
At 5-1, Minnesota is in a tie with Dallas for the best record in the NFC, but the Vikings’ offensive line has been problematic from a run-blocking standpoint. The group ranks last in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards metrics, and the Adrian Peterson-less running back corps is looking up at the rest of the league with a paltry 2.6 yards per carry. Further, after the team’s 21-10 loss to the Eagles last week, head coach Mike Zimmer called the O-line “soft.” Quarterback Sam Bradford, in whom the Vikings invested a significant amount after Teddy Bridgewater‘s catastrophic injury, took six sacks in Philadelphia, though the Vikings have only allowed 14 this year.
Without left tackle Matt Kalil, who went on injured reserve after Week 2, the Vikings have turned to T.J. Clemmings and Jake Long and received underwhelming results. Either Thomas or Staley would provide a major boost on Bradford’s blind side, but the Vikings are already without a first-round pick in 2017 because of the Bradford trade. Losing another high selection wouldn’t be optimal, as general manager Rick Spielman said earlier this month.
“We’re still going to always build through the draft. You can’t do that without having the draft picks,” he stated.
Unlike the Vikings’, the Colts’ pass blocking has been disastrous. Quarterback Andrew Luck has taken a league-worst 25 sacks this year, and FO ranks the team’s line 30th in adjusted sack rate. Acquiring Thomas or Staley would enable the Colts to shift left tackle Anthony Castonzo to the right side, thereby sending fifth-round rookie Joe Haeg to the bench. However, the 3-4 Colts don’t look like a team that should be parting with valuable draft choices, and picking up Thomas or Staley would add another sizable contract to the ledger on the offensive side of the ball. GM Ryan Grigson said three weeks ago that the Colts are at a disadvantage in building a defense because of Luck’s deal, so it’s difficult to envision them racking up another big-money offensive cog.
The 4-1-1 Seahawks are above average in adjusted sack rate (13th) and sacks surrendered (fifth), but they might have incentive to further strengthen their line with quarterback Russell Wilson playing through multiple injuries and left tackle Bradley Sowell on the shelf with a knee sprain. Plus, unlike in years past, Seattle has struggled to run the ball, ranking 28th in adjusted line yards and 31st in YPC (3.1).
With each of these teams set to play another game before the deadline, this week’s outcomes could affect whether they make a late push for Thomas or Staley. The same goes for the league’s other playoff contenders, as an injury to a left tackle could send a GM scrambling to the phone to call Cleveland’s Sashi Brown or San Francisco’s Trent Baalke about their O-line stalwarts.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns Work Out Justin Currie
The Chiefs announced that they have ruled out running back Jamaal Charles for Sunday’s game against Indianapolis. The team says it’s being careful with the four-time Pro bowler given that he suffered a torn ACL last year. In place of Charles, who has only 12 carries in three appearances this season, the Chiefs will continue leaning on Spencer Ware. The third-year man has held his own with nearly 800 total yards (492 rushing, 285 receiving) and three touchdowns in the Chiefs’ first six games.
More regarding Kansas City and three other AFC teams:
- Bills general manager Doug Whaley tells WGR 550 the trade market has been “relatively quiet,” but he thinks it will pick up after Sunday (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). He added that the Bills would not hesitate to make a trade before Tuesday’s deadline.
- Texans head coach Bill O’Brien classifies running back Lamar Miller as a game-time decision for Sunday’s contest against the Lions, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Miller suffered a bruised shoulder in the Texans’ loss to the Broncos on Monday, but he plans to play through it, writes Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. Miller and backup Alfred Blue picked up 11 carries apiece in Denver.
- In addition to the previously reported Cayleb Jones, Jeremiah McKinnon, Blake Muir and James Vaughters, the Chiefs worked out defensive end Bobby Richardson on Tuesday, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). Richardson started in 11 of 15 appearances as a rookie with the Saints last year, though he didn’t make much of an impact statistically (20 tackles, half a sack).
- Safety Justin Currie is in Cleveland today for a tryout with the Browns, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. Currie went undrafted from Western Michigan last year and spent time wth the Giants.
Weak Trade Interest In Browns OT Joe Thomas?
Despite denials from the Browns, multiple reports have indicated that tackle Joe Thomas could be traded if the right offer is made. Right now, however, it doesn’t sound like there are a lot of offers coming in. There is limited trade interest in Thomas, Mike Florio of PFT hears. 
A source with knowledge of the situation says that only two teams have been exploring the potential move. That’s surprising given the long list of contending teams that could use a left tackle upgrade. In the last week, the Patriots, Cardinals, Giants, Seahawks, and Vikings have been linked to Thomas. Now it sounds like at least three of those teams have not called Cleveland to arrange a deal.
Thomas, a lifelong member of the Browns, has never been to the postseason. Still, he does not want to be traded. First-year coach Hue Jackson addressed reporters earlier this week and said that Thomas would not be dealt between now and the deadline. Despite that, rival GMs believe that top exec Sashi Brown could pull the trigger on a deal, especially since the team is going nowhere in 2016.
Browns Notes: McCown, Currie
Browns head coach Hue Jackson said at his press conference today that “all signs are pointing to” quarterback Josh McCown starting on Sunday against the Jets, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rookie signal-caller Cody Kessler, then, is presumably unlikely to clear the league’s concussion protocol in time for the Week 8 contest. McCown, 37, went 1-7 as a starter for the Browns last season. In his one game under center for Cleveland this year, the veteran completed 20 of his 33 passes and threw two touchdowns with two interceptions.
- Defensive back Justin Currie will work out for the Browns on Friday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Currie, 23, was an undrafted free agent in 2015, and spent last summer as part of the Giants’ offseason roster.
Browns Rumors: Thomas, Haden, Coleman
We’ve consistently heard Joe Thomas does not want to leave Cleveland despite the Browns being the league’s only winless team. The perennial All-Pro left tackle elaborated on that stance today and indeed did confirm he does want to compete in a playoff game at some point in his career, willingness to play through the Browns’ latest rebuild notwithstanding.
Responding to a question regarding other former Browns like T.J. Ward or Jabaal Sheard who have left and been on dominant teams, Thomas replied he wants that for himself but seeks it in Cleveland.
“When I first got here, my goal and my mission is kind of always to make the playoffs and to help be part of turning the Browns into a consistent winner and kind of turning the franchise’s fortunes around,” Thomas said, via Dan Labbe of cleveland.com. “We haven’t done that yet, so to me that means that my mission is not yet complete here.”
With the Browns as far away from such a turnaround as at any point in the decorated blocker’s 10-year career, it doesn’t seem the back end of his prime and a Cleveland playoff berth will line up. GMs also believe the Browns will backtrack on their firm stance of keeping the 31-year-old future Hall of Famer in northeast Ohio.
Here’s more from the Browns as their downtown counterparts look set to see the Cubs tie the World Series at 1 game apiece.
- Thomas and Joe Staley have been reported to be thrust onto the trade block, and OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald takes look at the tackles’ markets. He notes a team would owe Thomas more than $24MM through 2018, while Staley would cost less than $18MM, potentially narrowing the talent gap between them and explaining the 49ers’ demand for a first-round pick and the Browns’ willingness for a second. A team trading for the 31-year-old Thomas would owe the six-time All-Pro (the 32-year-old Staley has no All-Pro honors) $4.882MM if it executed a trade before Week 8.
- Another name to possibly keep an eye on in prospective Browns trade talks is Joe Haden, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com writes. While Thomas has drawn the most trade interest of Browns players the past two seasons, Haden also qualifies as a veteran on a rebuilding team full of younger talent. The second-longest-tenured Brown behind Thomas, Haden doesn’t have a deal as trade-friendly as Thomas’. The 27-year-old corner has $6.8MM worth of guaranteed money left on his contract, one that runs throuugh 2019, and stands to take up $14MM of a team’s cap in 2017 and ’18. McManamon cites Haden’s injury history, having missed three games already this season for finger and groin maladies on top of a 2015 season plagued by ailments, as a reason the Browns would want to seek out a return for their top defender.
- Corey Coleman returned to practice today for the first time since breaking his hand Sept. 21, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The first-round rookie ran routes but didn’t catch any passes, and Cabot puts Coleman’s timetable in line with a Week 9 or Week 10 return.
- After missing Sunday’s second half due to an unspecified illness, Cameron Erving returned to practice today and is expected to start when the Browns host the Jets this weekend, Cabot reports. The second-year center suffered a bruised lung earlier this season, his first as a full-time starter.
- Josh McCown looks like he’s going to return to the Browns’ lineup behind Erving, barring a setback.
Practice Squad Updates: 10/26/16
Here are today’s practice squad moves.
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OT Martin Wallace
Chicago Bears
- Signed: CB Jacoby Glenn
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Darius Hillary, RB Terrence Magee, DL Gabe Wright
- Cut: RB Terrell Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: C Jacob Flores
New England Patriots
- Cut: G Chase Farris
New York Jets
- Signed: C Kyle Friend, LB Reshard Cliett
- Cut: WR Myles White
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: CB Trovon Reed
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: QB Joel Stave
Josh McCown On Track To Start In Week 8
Having observed a spate of quarterback injuries unlike much the NFL’s seen in recent memory, the Browns look to have one of their initial top-two options back in the fold come Sunday.
Josh McCown has been cleared medically to play after being sidelined for five weeks with a broken collarbone, Pat McManaman of ESPN.com reports. He would be in line to start against the Jets for a team that’s endured a brutal string of injuries to its contingent of quarterbacks. Hue Jackson, though, said Wednesday he won’t name a starter until McCown makes it through a whole week of practice.
Having six players take snaps in just seven games, the Browns turned to practice squad promotion Kevin Hogan last week after an injury forced Cody Kessler out. The third-round rookie remains in concussion protocol, and the Browns have just Hogan and recent waiver claim Joe Callahan as healthy options if McCown experiences a setback.
The team resisted trade overtures for the 37-year-old McCown this offseason only to see him go down in his first start — during Week 2, when he led the Browns to a 20-0 lead in a game the Ravens came back to win 25-20. McCown threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns in his one-game cameo this season, doing so after completing 63 percent of his passes and throwing 12 touchdown passes compared to four interceptions in 2015.
GMs Believe Browns Will Trade Joe Thomas
Hue Jackson says that Joe Thomas isn’t going anywhere, but several GMs around the league believe that VP Sashi Brown will in fact trade him, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Brown tried hard to trade Thomas last year and called multiple teams around the league to get something done. Jackson wants to hold on to the multiple-time Pro Bowler and Thomas doesn’t want to be traded, but it ultimately won’t be up to either of them. 
[RELATED: Thomas Hopes To Stay With Browns]
So far this season, the advanced numbers at Pro Football Focus have Thomas tied for No. 8 out of 75 qualified tackles. Thomas’ run blocking is starter quality but his 87.4 overall score for pass blocking puts him in elite company. There are a number of contending teams with offensive line issues as the trade deadline approaches and the Browns are predictably hearing from clubs with interest.
The Browns are now 0-7 after losing to the Bengals on Sunday. With no hope of making the playoffs, Brown could be inclined to pull the trigger, even if it upsets his first-year head coach.
Joe Thomas Hopes To Stay With Browns
Trade winds are blowing around Joe Thomas, but if he had his way, he wouldn’t go anywhere. This week, Browns coach Hue Jackson denied that Thomas is on the block and that was music to the tackle’s ears. 
[RELATED: Browns Shoot Down Joe Thomas Trade Talk]
“[It] feels good to be loved. I’m hoping they stick to their word,” Thomas said (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer).
Thomas has been with the Browns for his entire career since entering the league in 2007. The former No. 3 overall pick in the draft has been showered with individual accolades, but he has yet to reach the postseason. One might think that the nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time First-Team All-Pro would want to join up with a contender. Apparently, that’s not the case.
The Patriots, Cardinals, Giants, Seahawks, and Vikings are said to have varying degrees of interest in the 31-year-old (32 in December). If Jackson is telling the truth, then they will all be left disappointed after the deadline.