Over the holiday weekend, news broke via ESPN reporter Adam Schefter that wide receiver Josh Gordon is hoping to be reinstated to play in the National Football League after he’d passed three months worth of drug tests. Suddenly one of the league’s most talented physical wide receivers could be in play as a free agent, making things very interesting for some teams in need of an upgrade in the middle of summer.
For the K.C. Chiefs, the idea of signing Gordon is a very interesting one, although they’ve been here before and passed. As recently as 2019, Gordon hit waivers after reaching an injury settlement with the New England Patriots. Every single NFL team—including the Chiefs—passed except for the Seattle Seahawks, who claimed him and had him play the final five games of the season.
Unfortunately, Gordon has had trouble staying available. He’s served five different suspensions for violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy. Ever since his first suspension in 2014, Gordon’s NFL career has been a yo-yo of production and frustration. He’s sat out three seasons in their entirety—missing the 2015, 2016, and 2020 campaigns—and stints of a few others.
Are the Chiefs interested in Josh Gordon now that Sammy Watkins is gone?
Back in 2019, the Chiefs passed as did several other teams, but things might be different this time around. At that point, the Chiefs were employing Sammy Watkins in his second season with the team. They had their physical receiver, and while he had his problems staying available, there was no room for a receiver like Gordon on the roster—who does not play special teams.
For the first time in three seasons, the Chiefs now have a room full of wideouts hoping to make the leap up the depth chart but with no obvious candidate to step in. Gordon, in an ideal scenario, could absolutely fill that role with his hands, agility, fluid hips, physical style, and technique. He’s a dangerous receiving threat that teams could not ignore which means the emphasis placed on Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce would have to be questioned if Gordon was also lined up outside.
The Chiefs have already chased a few options this offseason, including JuJu Smith-Schuster, so the idea of adding someone like Gordon doesn’t seem out of line. That said, if the Chiefs were tired of the games of “will he or won’t he?” with Watkins, then are they really interested in more of the same with Gordon? And how much does Gordon have left if he’s 30 years old and a full season removed from his last meaningful action.
If Gordon gets reinstated, it will be interesting to see if the Chiefs make a move or sit this one out. There are reasons to see it from both sides, but the team has been quiet at wideout so far. Is Gordon’s talents enough to draw them out for a visit? Is the roller coaster worth the effort? Only time will tell.