Should Eagles be interested in Josh Gordon when he's healthy?

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article_body => "The Patriots on Wednesday placed former All-Pro receiver Josh Gordon on Injured Reserve with a knee injury, but it doesn\u2019t seem like his season is over.<\/p>\nIt just seems like his time in New England is finished. <\/p>\nCheck out this report from NFL Network: <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">Josh Gordon believes he\u2019s close to returning to play, source says. So his IR designation today means he\u2019s likely done with the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Patriots?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Patriots<\/a> but could be available for teams as a free agent soon. Very interesting.<\/p>— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MikeGarafolo\/status\/1187114054122397697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 23, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\nAccording to NFL Network, the expectation is that Gordon will be waived off Patriots IR once he\u2019s healthy. Even though Gordon is a vested veteran, he would need to pass through waivers starting after the trade deadline next Tuesday. The Eagles could put in a claim or hope he passes through.<\/p>\nSo the simple question is this: Should the Eagles be interested? <\/p>\nThe simple answer: yes.<\/p>\nI\u2019m not sure exactly when Gordon will be ready to return, but if the Eagles are still in the playoff hunt when that moment arrives, they should absolutely be interested. <\/p>\nNow, there are even more layers to this situation and we all understand the personal battles Gordon has been going through for years with substance abuse. Because of that, no team is likely to make any sort of long-term commitment to him. But Gordon has done a good job of proving himself in New England and rewarding the Patriots\u2019 faith in him, as this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/sports\/patriots\/2019\/09\/28\/josh-gordon-has-rewarded-patriots-for-their-faith-him\/MmCLITEig2LbH0o2AeWe8N\/story.html\" target=\"_blank\">Boston Globe story<\/a> shows. There would be concerns with bringing Gordon in, but it\u2019s not like he\u2019s been a bad influence on the locker room like other troubled players.<\/p>\nMaybe because of Gordon\u2019s long battle with substance abuse, the Eagles couldn\u2019t rely on him \u2026 but they haven\u2019t been able to rely on their receivers all season anyway. <\/p>\nWhat has arguably been the Eagles\u2019 biggest problem on offense is a lack of explosion since DeSean Jackson got hurt in Week 2. Jackson, by the way, doesn\u2019t appear to be trending toward a return this week. Who knows when he will return and Doug Pederson has already said Jackson probably won\u2019t be 100 percent the rest of the 2019 season.<\/p>\nAs NBC Sports Philadelphia\u2019s Reuben Frank <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/why-are-2019-eagles-wide-receivers-so-bad-nelson-agholor-alshon-jeffery\" target=\"_blank\">wrote earlier today<\/a>, without Jackson, the Eagles\u2019 wideouts are averaging just 10.5 yards per catch, the worst average in the league. Gordon is explosive. <\/p>\nSince Gordon entered the league in 2012, there\u2019s just one player with at least 100 receptions who has a higher yards-per-reception average: <\/p>\nDeSean Jackson: 17.20<\/p>\nJosh Gordon: 17.14<\/p>\nAnd in 17 games with the Patriots dating back to last season, Gordon, 28, had 60 catches for 1,007 yards (16.8) and four touchdowns. He can still play. <\/p>\nThe beauty of signing Gordon instead of trading for a wideout is obvious. The Eagles wouldn\u2019t have to give up draft picks. That would be huge because prices have been high. The Patriots had to give up a second-round pick to get Mohamed Sanu and the 49ers had to give up third- and a fourth-round picks to get Emmanuel Sanders and a fifth.<\/p>\nFor an Eagles team that really lacks young talent, giving up premier draft picks for a rental player isn\u2019t ideal. This would be a way around that. The problem is that the trade deadline is Tuesday, so they might not know about Gordon\u2019s health until after it has passed. <\/p>\nStill, Howie Roseman is never shy about kicking tires. With this news, he should be kicking away.<\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/eagle-eye-philadelphia-eagles\/episodes\/303c6d02-0d25-41f1-ac66-9640157a95d4\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb788a3d5b83?site_id=Web_NBCS_Philly&creative_id=nbcsphi1356&cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&cp_1=washington&cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&cp_3=nbcsphi1356\">Click here<\/a> to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">More on the Eagles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/nfl-trade-deadline-eagles-howie-roseman-doug-pederson\">Pederson talking to Roseman about trades, hints at position <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-injury-update-desean-jackson-ronald-darby-nigel-bradham-jason-peters-jalen-mills\">Jackson still not ready to practice, while another CB could return to game action<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/another-eagles-defensive-tackle-hassan-ridgeway-headed-injured-reserve\">Another Eagles DT headed for Injured Reserve <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/nelson-agholor-eagles-cowboys-play-disaster\">Agholor picking up the pieces after another disaster <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/mack-hollins-mike-groh-eagles-wide-receivers\">Hollins doesn\u2019t seem bothered by lack of production, criticism that follows<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Eagles

The Patriots on Wednesday placed former All-Pro receiver Josh Gordon on Injured Reserve with a knee injury, but it doesn’t seem like his season is over.

It just seems like his time in New England is finished.

Check out this report from NFL Network:

Josh Gordon believes he’s close to returning to play, source says. So his IR designation today means he’s likely done with the #Patriots but could be available for teams as a free agent soon. Very interesting.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 23, 2019

According to NFL Network, the expectation is that Gordon will be waived off Patriots IR once he’s healthy. Even though Gordon is a vested veteran, he would need to pass through waivers starting after the trade deadline next Tuesday. The Eagles could put in a claim or hope he passes through.

So the simple question is this: Should the Eagles be interested?

The simple answer: yes.

I’m not sure exactly when Gordon will be ready to return, but if the Eagles are still in the playoff hunt when that moment arrives, they should absolutely be interested.

Now, there are even more layers to this situation and we all understand the personal battles Gordon has been going through for years with substance abuse. Because of that, no team is likely to make any sort of long-term commitment to him. But Gordon has done a good job of proving himself in New England and rewarding the Patriots’ faith in him, as this Boston Globe story shows. There would be concerns with bringing Gordon in, but it’s not like he’s been a bad influence on the locker room like other troubled players.

Maybe because of Gordon’s long battle with substance abuse, the Eagles couldn’t rely on him … but they haven’t been able to rely on their receivers all season anyway.

What has arguably been the Eagles’ biggest problem on offense is a lack of explosion since DeSean Jackson got hurt in Week 2. Jackson, by the way, doesn’t appear to be trending toward a return this week. Who knows when he will return and Doug Pederson has already said Jackson probably won’t be 100 percent the rest of the 2019 season.

As NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Reuben Frank wrote earlier today, without Jackson, the Eagles’ wideouts are averaging just 10.5 yards per catch, the worst average in the league. Gordon is explosive.

Since Gordon entered the league in 2012, there’s just one player with at least 100 receptions who has a higher yards-per-reception average:

DeSean Jackson: 17.20

Josh Gordon: 17.14

And in 17 games with the Patriots dating back to last season, Gordon, 28, had 60 catches for 1,007 yards (16.8) and four touchdowns. He can still play.

The beauty of signing Gordon instead of trading for a wideout is obvious. The Eagles wouldn’t have to give up draft picks. That would be huge because prices have been high. The Patriots had to give up a second-round pick to get Mohamed Sanu and the 49ers had to give up third- and a fourth-round picks to get Emmanuel Sanders and a fifth.

For an Eagles team that really lacks young talent, giving up premier draft picks for a rental player isn’t ideal. This would be a way around that. The problem is that the trade deadline is Tuesday, so they might not know about Gordon’s health until after it has passed.

Still, Howie Roseman is never shy about kicking tires. With this news, he should be kicking away.

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