Will Josh Gordon play in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles?
Josh Gordon has been reinstated into the NFL and has landed with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are looking to get a boost as soon as possible after a nightmarish start to their season. The question is whether the veteran will be able to get ready in time for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Here's a look at how it is shaping up for the receiver.
Josh Gordon to the rescue?
Based on an official depth chart updated by the Kansas City Chiefs this week, Josh Gordon's name is nowhere to be found. That likely means he won't be ready for this weekend's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Essentially, Gordon arrived too late with too much to learn to be ready to do anything on such short notice.
Time to get to work. 🎯 @Chiefs 🙏🏾
That said, how long will Chiefs fans have to wait to get their first in-game look at Josh Gordon? Odds are good that although Gordon will miss this week's game, the receiver could see some action in Week 5 against the vaunted Buffalo Bills. Of course, he likely won't be used for more than a few specific plays as he is still learning the playbook.
His playtime will likely start low and continue to increase throughout the season. As he continues to prove himself and get more comfortable with the offense, in addition to getting into football shape, he could hit his final ceiling for the year around Thanksgiving. How high on the depth chart could Gordon climb?
In all likelihood, the Chiefs will start him near the bottom and he can work his way up. He'll pass Daurice Fountain and Marcus Kemp relatively quickly. However, at this point, he will be the fourth receiver behind Byron Pringle, Demarcus Robinson, Mecole Hardman and Tyreek Hill.
Byron Pringle could take Josh Gordon a couple of weeks to pass as he is a three-year veteran with playing time in almost every game of the last three years, according to Pro Football Reference. However, looking at Gordon's "recent" production, he will have trouble passing Demarcus Robinson, who has been earning the Chiefs' trust since 2016.
In 2021, as a mid-season addition, this appears to be as high as Gordon could go. If he sticks around and proves himself over the summer, he has a shot to jump into the third-string role. However, there is a long road between here and there.