If WR Josh Gordon is reinstated, should the Seahawks bring him back?
May 22, 2020, 12:33 PM
Could WR Josh Gordon come back to the Seahawks for the 2020 season? (Getty)
(Getty)
Just when it seemed like receiver Josh Gordon was becoming more of a factor in the Seahawks’ offense, he was hit with a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse, his fifth suspension for violating the league’s policy since he entered the NFL in 2012.
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The Seahawks claimed Gordon, 29, after he was waived by the New England Patriots midway through the 2019 season. In his first game with Seattle, he caught two critical passes on third down in a Week 10 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers.
In five games with the Seahawks, Gordon had seven catches for 139 yards, including this diving 58-yard snag in Week 15. That was his last catch as a Seahawk, as he was suspended shortly after the game.
Gordon’s off-field issues are well documented, and when the NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement, one of the key takeaways was that players will no longer be suspended for marijuana and other substances of abuse. Players will instead get fined for failed drug tests. But players like Gordon, who were currently suspended for drug use, were not automatically reinstated by the league.
But according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, Gordon is seeking reinstatement in hopes of playing for a team in 2020. Seahawks players as well as head coach Pete Carroll all talked positively of Gordon and his brief time in Seattle after his suspension was made official and earlier this week, Gordon posted a photo on his Instagram (the account is now private) of him catching a football with the location reading “Seattle, Washington,” prompting some to speculate he would want to return to the Seahawks if he is reinstated.
The NFL recently reinstated Cowboys defensive end Aldon Smith, who hasn’t played since 2015 due to substance abuse issues, and fellow Dallas pass rusher Randy Gregory is also seeking reinstatement.
If Gordon is allowed to play in 2020, should the Seahawks bring him back? Former WSU and NFL receiver Michael Bumpus weighed in Friday morning on 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny and Gallant, saying Seattle should give him another shot.
“With the Seahawks, it would be his second chance, right? You tried him out last year and this would be his second opportunity to try to redeem himself (with Seattle),” he said. “So with the Hawks, I would just isolate it to that. Let’s just give him a second chance here and if it doesn’t work out here, then maybe he’ll go somewhere and get another chance. (But) it’s risky and you’re rolling the dice.”
Gordon was an All-Pro receiver in 2013, when he led the league with 1,646 yards and he also had nine touchdowns. He did that while playing in 14 of 16 games. A full season of Gordon paired with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf as well as Seattle’s deep group of tight ends could give Russell Wilson his best supporting staff maybe ever.
While some would argue Gordon has had plenty of opportunities to get right and adhere to the league’s rules, Bumpus said in sports, talent wins out a lot of the time.
“The more talented you are, the more opportunities you’re going to get in this league and Josh Gordon honestly could have been one of the best receivers to ever play the game,” Bumpus said. “The dude had 1,600 yards and he missed two games (in 2013). Randy Moss and Terrell Owens didn’t even do that. They never reached 1,600 yards in one season. That’s how special this dude is. You take chances on someone like that … I would take a chance on him just because of how special he is. His hands are so secure. He makes it look easy, it’s ridiculous.”
Listen to the second hour of Friday’s Danny and Gallant at this link or in the player below.
Follow 710 ESPN Seattle’s Michael Bumpus on Twitter.
