NFL Rumors: 3 AFC teams that should sign WR Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon is getting another shot in the NFL. As a newly minted free agent in an offense-centric league, Gordon's availability likely won't last long.
Entering October, plenty of teams are looking for a boost. Here are three teams that should be camping out overnight to get an early shot at the wide receiver.
Three AFC teams in need of Josh Gordon
#1 - Denver Broncos
The Broncos may be 3-0, coming off a walloping shutout of the New York Jets, but they didn't exit the game unscathed and the injuries are piling up.
Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler are now expected to be out with leg injuries going forward. Jeudy will be back later this season while Hamler will not. In their place, the Broncos will lean more heavily on Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. While both have had good seasons thus far, the team is heading into their toughest stretch of games yet.
Coach Fangio announced that WR KJ Hamler will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Join us in wishing him a speedy recovery. 🙏 https://t.co/qPSWICSBLS
The Broncos will need every advantage in any position they can get. Signing Josh Gordon would provide relief for the team while Jeudy and Hamler heal. His ceiling with the team is a third-stringer while they are gone and a fifth-stringer when they return. However, with Gordon's history, he needs a de facto probation period to prove he's willing to remain disciplined.
If he can do that and show out, the Broncos will have a shot at maintaining an explosive offense that can stretch the deepest of secondaries. In the AFC West, it seems no number of receivers or playmakers is enough.
#2 - Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are banged up out wide. Diontae Johnson and Juju Smith-Schuster are dealing with injuries - Smith-Schuster is dealing with a rib injury and Diontae Johnson is out for the foreseeable future with a knee injury. Essentially, the Steelers can only count on Chase Claypool at the moment.
Signing Josh Gordon would keep the offense afloat until Juju Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson return. If Gordon works out, the Steelers could have a second-string receiver playing as a fourth receiver. If not, the Steelers can easily move on since Gordon likely won't be able to negotiate any dead cap.
#3 - Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals may be coming off their biggest win in seemingly lifetimes, but they cannot stop pushing. Joe Burrow will need all the help he can get to elevate the team into the playoffs for the first time since the Andy Dalton era. A veteran like Gordon could add an element of mentorship to a young team.
Per Adam Schefter, Tee Higgins is dealing with a shoulder injury that could result in a multi-week absence. Gordon could help keep the offense from missing a beat going forward as Higgins heals.
Once Higgins returns, assuming Gordon works out, the team would have an offense that can test secondaries in the matchup department.