Josh Gordon is long removed from his peak.
The wide receiver emerged as one of the NFL’s brightest stars when recording 1,646 receiving yards for the Cleveland Browns in 2013. However, he since hasn’t reach half that mark in a single season.
After missing all of 2020 following another violation of the league’s substance abuse policies, Gordon joined the Kansas City Chiefs last year. Per Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith, head coach Andy Reid told reporters he’s seen improvements from Gordon this offseason.
“He’s running better, he’s catching better and he’s working hard,” Reid said. “He’s a good kid and he’s smart, so that helps. That’s the way he’s approached this whole thing, and he’s getting reps.”
Having turned 31 in April, Gordon isn’t quite a kid anymore. A veteran by NFL standards, he caught just five of 14 targets for 32 yards and a touchdown in 12 games last season. He didn’t play in any of Kansas City’s three postseason contests.
Yet Reid will need someone to step up after the team traded top wideout Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
There’s a bigger target share atop the depth chart to chase, but Gordon faces more competition. Kansas City signed JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and drafted Skyy Moore in the second round. Patrick Mahomes also called Justin Watson a “pleasant surprise” at the start of OTAs.
This could just be typical early-offseason optimism from a coach, but perhaps Gordon has one last resurgence left in the tank.