How the Patriots can incorporate Josh Gordon into their offe

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The Patriots made headlines when they traded for troubled Browns receiver Josh Gordon. Gordon broke out with 87 catches for 1646 yards and 9 TD on 159 targets for Cleveland in 2013. That performance included a 10/151/2 day against Aqib Talib and the Patriots Jonathan Jones Jersey , in which NE barely escaped with a 26-21 victory. Since that year, Gordon has only seen 93 targets and 43 catches due to his own battles with addiction to recreational drugs and alcohol. With the Patriots receiving corps from Super Bowl LI and LII decimated by free agent departures, suspensions, and injuries, the team took a flyer on Gordon to try to recapture that old magic. The Patriots invested a 5th round pick in Gordon, which barring any more legal troubles or a relapse in his addiction issues means he’s on the roster for the rest of the season. He brings a matchup element the Patriots’ other receivers don’t have, size and speed. The Patriots currently have Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett as their primary receivers, but neither guy is going to get open against #1 corners, especially against teams like Jacksonville that have two players of that caliber. Julian Edelman is back in Week 5, but coming off an ACL injury and 32 years old Authentic Ja'Whaun Bentley Jersey , it’s not a safe bet to assume he’ll be as productive as he’s been the last 5 seasons. I expect the Patriots to employ Gordon in a very simplified role, slowly easing him into the offensive game plan. I would not be surprised if he is inactive for Week 3, as the Patriots will be playing a Lions team that’s due for a culture shock. Gordon won’t be asked to understand the entire playbook, but rather the cliff notes version and what game plan they have for him against a given opponent. Here are some ways they can transition him into the offense in total:Go Routes:Gordon’s biggest attribute as a receiver is the ability to separate vertically. His 6’3” height is also an advantage on those type of routes down the field due to his ability to high-point the football and keep it away from defenders. Just ask the SteelersThat’s Gordon’s only catch of the season to date, but it highlights the skill he has for vertical routes. The threat of the deep ball outside the numbers will allow the Patriots to attack the middle of the field in both the run and pass game. Rob Gronkowski is the Patriots’ only consistent threat to beat teams deep, which is why the safety is sitting towards the middle of the field or shaded to Gronk’s side if he is lined up in the slot or on the boundary. I don’t expect Gordon to consistently burn teams deep, but one or two deep completions to him will force teams to have to adjust their game plan. On these type routes, I expect him to be late in the progression unless matched up against smaller corners on an island. Slants and In-Breaking Routes:Gordon’s deep speed is something teams will have to respect, which means they will be playing a lot of off-man or zone to combat that. Obviously teams aren’t going to play zone because it turns into pitch and catch for Tom Brady and his RBs or Gronk. If teams are playing way off, I think hitting a couple slant or quick-in routes for free yards to keep drives can add an element of frustration for opposing defenders. One way to scheme this route open is to line up Gordon next to a slot receiver who is running a deeper route towards the boundary to set a natural pick on Gordon’s defender. The Patriots did that with Michael Floyd back in 2016 when Floyd took a quick-in route and bulldozed the Miami defense to the end zone. In total Youth Rex Burkhead Jersey , I don’t expect big contributions from Gordon as a whole to the offense. However, teams are also very well aware what he’s capable of from that breakout year with Cleveland five seasons ago. Whether that matchup has a domino effect that improves the Patriots’ chances of putting together a strong offense that can win the postseason is yet to be seen.New England Patriots 2018 roster breakdown: #84 WR Cordarrelle Patterson The New England Patriots currently have 88 players on their active roster. However, only 53 of them will be able to survive the cutdowns on September 1 and ultimately make the team. Over the course of the offseason, we take a look at the players fighting for those spots to find out who has the best chances of helping the Patriots recapture the Vince Lombardi Trophy.Today, the series continues with one of New England’s offseason additions.Name: Cordarrelle PattersonPosition: Wide receiverJersey number: 84Opening day age: 27Experience: 5Size: 6’2, 230 lbs.2017 review: Despite him earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors at kickoff returner in 2016, the Minnesota Vikings decided to let Cordarrelle Patterson hit the open market after the end of his rookie deal in 2017. It did not take long for the former first-round draft pick to find a new home: the Oakland Raiders signed Patterson to a two-year, $8.5 million contract – an investment that did not fully work out for the team.Like the Vikings, the Raiders gave Patterson plenty of opportunities to prove himself on both offense and in the kicking game. Serving as Oakland’s number four wide receiver, he was on the field for 42.7% of the team’s offensive snaps (430 of 1 Adam Butler Jersey ,080). A rotational and package-specific option, Patterson was used as both a pass catcher and a ball carrier to take advantage of the vision and athleticism that make him an elite kick returner.However, he failed to establish himself as a regular on the Raiders’ offense and therefore finished the season with a relatively modest 430 yards from scrimmage: Patterson caught 31 passes for 309 yards and received an additional 13 carries for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Solid numbers for a depth wide receiver, but not what is generally expected of a player carrying a $5.6 million salary cap hit.Once again, Patterson’s biggest contributions in terms of impacting field position came on special teams. Overall, he ran back 19 kicks during his 16 games last year, for a combined 538 yards and an average of 28.3 yards per return. Just like on offense, his numbers were solid but could not quite live up to the expectations and price tag with which Patterson entered Oakland in free agency.2018 preview: With Patterson scheduled to hit the Raiders’ salary cap with $3.25 million in 2018, the team decided to place him on the trade market. Oakland found a willing trade partner in mid-March: the Patriots, who acquired Patterson and a sixth-round draft pick for a fifth-round selection – a logical move for New England to make after the team lost both their kickoff returner (Dion Lewis) and a rotational wideout (Danny Amendola) in free agency.Given his rather high cap number and the fact that the Patriots paid a relatively modest price to acquire him Authentic Elandon Roberts Jersey , Patterson was no lock to make the team when he joined it. Five months later, this outlook has changed quite a bit: while he has yet to flash his talents as a kickoff returner, the 27-year old received plenty of practice reps and preseason playing time at the wide receiver position.All the uncertainties surrounding the position and his solid performance this summer make Patterson a virtual lock to survive roster cuts. And while it remains to be seen how the team ultimately uses him during the regular season, his athleticism and versatility make for an intriguing chess piece for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to use. And even though he will not be the second coming of Randy Moss, Patterson should turn out to be a solid pickup.
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