Signing Josh Gordon was a low-risk, high reward gamble for the Seahawks. They lost the bet, but they won't pay much of a price. | Source: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images/AFP
With Josh Gordon suspended again, it's tempting to mock the Seahawks for signing him. But here's why Seattle handled the debacle perfectly.
When the Seattle Seahawks acquired Josh Gordon after the New England Patriots dumped him, the move was well-received. Here was a team with one of the best quarterbacks in the game, and it didn’t have a marquee receiver. Yes, it had a talented wideout in Tyler Lockett. But defensive coordinators do not fear him – at least not yet.
Adding Josh Gordon had the potential of giving Russell Wilson “that guy.” Depending on how quickly he got up to speed and became part of the game plan, the addition of a playmaker like Gordon could have redefined the Seahawks offense.
Now when a guy becomes that important to an offense, the offense could suffer if he suddenly disappears. Just ask Dallas Cowboys fans what their team was like when Ezekiel Elliot was suspended for six games.
In light of the recent news about Gordon’s indefinite suspension, it’s good that the Seahawks never became reliant on Gordon for much of anything.
When the news broke Monday afternoon that Josh Gordon had been suspended indefinitely once again for violating the league’s drug policy, it was disheartening, to say the least. Gordon is an incredible talent. When he did play, he was a highlight reel waiting to happen.
But after getting hit with his sixth suspension Monday at the tender young age of 28, it is hard to imagine him playing in the NFL ever again. If most teams passed on him when the Patriots cut him (which was a bad sign), who is going to be willing to take a chance on him after another suspension?
With teams becoming more concerned with optics these days, probably no one.
While gaining Gordon had the potential to be an extremely impactful move, Gordon never really became a big part of the Seahawks offense. In five games, he caught seven passes for 139 yards and never got into the endzone.
His only catch in his final game was a beautiful 58-yard reception:
He had served as the No. 3 receiver behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. The Seahawks may now look for Malik Turner, David Moore, Jaron Brown, or John Ursua to fill the void.
Signing Josh Gordon was always a low-risk, high reward gamble for Seattle. So, how much will his loss impact the Seahawks? Not at all.
This article was edited by Josiah Wilmoth.
Last modified: January 22, 2020 11:40 PM UTC