Shawn Sorter
I hear talk in various circles about the signing of Josh Gordon being an act of desperation. This could not be further from the truth. For the last several years the Kansas City Chiefs have known they needed a strong number 2 wide receiver (in fact, Josh Gordon would likely be a #1 WR on most NFL teams). The Chiefs had the talent for it with Sammy Watkins, but Sammy was on the sideline as much as he was on the field and could not be counted on to stay healthy. The Chiefs did the only thing they could by letting him walk this past off season. Since then they offered a contract to Juju Smith-Schuster. Sadly it was more important to JuJu to be the man, and to catch balls from Big Ben, than to be on a winning team catching passes from the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.
The Chiefs have flirted with several lesser known receivers in the off season as well. The point being, this need is not new. Signing “Flash” Gordon was an upgrade they have wanted to make all along, and Andy Reid saying that Josh Gordon has done what he was supposed to do the past 8 months makes me think they knew this — he — was an option all along. So, the Chiefs had an opportunity to sign a 30-year old receiver — who has the physical wear and tear of a 27 year old — and granted, his off the field issues which are well documented are a clear risk, but the move itself to sign him is not.
With likely very little financial commitment and nothing given up in a trade the Chiefs may have struck it rich on this one, and worst case scenario, they are back where they started no worse for the wear. Also from Nick Jacobs:
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“With Josh Gordon officially on the books now.
The #Chiefs salary cap space stands at $3,198,097 per the NFLPA.”
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Some have compared this to last year’s failed move with Le’veon Bell. I see the two situations very differently. First, a running back hits a wall much faster than a receiver does. The physical abuse Bell faced on the field took its toll on him, and I haven’t heard this discussed near enough. Also, Bell was in many respects a system player. A great offensive line in Pittsburgh that allowed his patient running style to develop on plays that just didn’t transition to the Jets or the Chiefs.
I’ve also heard people compare this signing to the Kelvin Benjamin addition, which is honestly laughable. So much so that it doesn’t even need a response.
If Flash has things figured out in his personal life — and I realize that may be a big if — he will instantly be the Chiefs 2nd best receiver. His talent level is somewhere between Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs other receivers.
Some things I’m fairly certain of however:
- I don’t think Flash will have 2 hands on a ball like Marcus Kemp and end up having a turn over from it.
- I don’t think he will struggle with route running the way Mecole Hardman has.
- I don’t think he will turn 15 yard plays into 9 yard gains by running backwards when he gets the ball, like Demarcus Robinson does so often.
- I don’t think he will have critical drops like Byron Pringle has recently.
Do all these guys offer the team something and do they have value? Absolutely, but none of them are a number 2 receiver like Josh Gordon can be.
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Cautious Optimism
So all Chiefs fans should be –> cautiously optimistic, that this move will make our team stronger down the stretch. We should root for a guy who has struggled with an issue that many people each of us know and likely some reading this article struggle with. Everywhere Flash has been his teammates have liked him, he just has a substance abuse demon that is always trying to get him. If the support he gets in Kansas City can give him the edge he needs to overcome it, the Chiefs offense will soar to new heights, and if not, well we just may have gotten a Flash in the Pan… but I don’t think so.
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Shawn Sorter — ArrowheadOne
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