Browns guard against lofty expectations for WR Josh Gordon
BEREA, Ohio — Temper those Josh Gordon saves-the-season expectations, Cleveland Browns fans.
The 23-year-old all-pro receiver, who led the league with 1,646 receiving yards last season, officially came off his 10-game suspension Monday following his latest violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. The Browns have a one-week exemption window to activate him.
Though the Browns' top offensive playmaker can practice beginning Wednesday, quarterback Brian Hoyer said it's unfair to expect Gordon to return to his dynamic form in time for Sunday's road test against the Atlanta Falcons.
"The biggest thing I can tell you guys is, look, we all know what Josh is capable of, (but) let's not put all this pressure on him that he's going to be the savior," Hoyer said Monday, the day after Cleveland's 23-7 loss to the Houston Texans. "Looking back watching the film, we all have to play better on offense. ... Yeah, it's great to get Josh back. But it's not like we're making an excuse from yesterday — 'Well, now we've got Josh back, there's no more excuses.'
"Let's not put that on one guy."
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Due to alterations in the NFL's substance-abuse policy, Gordon's original suspension was reduced from the full season to 10 games. Soon he'll get the chance to impact the league's 14th-ranked passing offense after catching 87 passes a year ago. After returning in Week 3 of last season following a two-game suspension, Gordon caught 10 passes for 146 yards with a touchdown in a 31-27 defeat of the Minnesota Vikings.
Still, no one seems to be expecting the same kind of instant results now.
"I mean that's not realistic. He's going to go out there and our coaches will do a good job of getting him ready to go," said Hoyer. "I'm just excited to get out there with him on the field on Wednesday. And let's just see how everything plays out."
Coach Mike Pettine expressed a similar message, noting that while Gordon has been able to work out at the team's facility and attend meetings, he hasn't caught a practice pass since August.
"We're excited to have a player of his caliber back," Pettine said. "But we also can't get ahead of ourselves. He's been out and hasn't had contact in a game, I think it's 75-80 days.
"It comes down to functioning within the structure of the offense, knowing what to do, get lined up. It's a player-safety thing. ... Josh is an elite receiver. He's proven that. But we just have to very smart with how we handle it."
At the least, the threat of a full-strength Gordon as a vertical-tilt weapon is likely to draw an extra safety out of the box and open running lanes for a rushing attack that bogged down with just 58 rushing yards against Houston.
However Gordon's return may be significantly offset by the open-ended loss of defensive signal caller Karlos Dansby, who suffered a left knee injury Sunday.
"I don't think his season is over," Pettine said of the linebacker. "But it could be upwards of a month."
Linebacker Jabaal Sheard, playing in the final year of his contract, suffered a more serious injury involving the bones in his left foot.
"There is a possibility he could be done," Pettine said, referencing Sheard's season.
Cleveland was already forced to put defensive lineman Phil Taylor on injured reserve last week.
It may serve to put added pressure on Hoyer, Gordon and the offense to score a lot more points to compensate for an injury-ravaged defense.
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Follow Jim Corbett on Twitter @ByJimCorbett
