The Cleveland Browns are preparing to be without Josh Gordon for the entire season. The team continues to wait on a suspension ruling, something that could be handed down anytime now, and are forming their roster accordingly. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the NFL had made a ruling on Gordon, but has yet to announce it. With the wide receiver likely to miss a large chunk of the season, is everyone else's roster spot safe?
Gordon did not play in the Browns' last preseason game. Head coach Mike Pettine told media that it was simply because the team was preparing to play without their leading receiver and wanted to use the game to get others up to speed before the season begins. A season after putting up 1,646 yards despite being suspended for the first two games, Gordon could miss all of 2014 and the Browns need to fill his numbers.
"Knowing that the decision is looming -- that we're fairly certain that were not going to have him for a minimum of some part of the year -- we wanted to make sure that we were getting repetitions with the guys that are going to be out there early," Pettine said, via the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
With Gordon out, who becomes the leading wide receivers? Just because he might not be on the field does not mean other players are immune to getting cut. Right now, Nate Burleson is hoping to not be the first player out. The veteran wide receiver was a salary cap release from the Detroit Lions and is currently fighting for his spot in Cleveland. Burleson has missed the first three games of the season due to a hamstring injury and might be on the outside looking in if he cannot get healthy.
"This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league. So I can watch as many YouTube highlights of myself, but what I did today and what I do tomorrow is going to have a more profound effect than my resume," Burleson said, via the Akron Beacon Journal. "If I was the boss of a company, you [only] look at the people who are at work, not the people who want to be at work. So, there's a big difference."
There are very few safe bets when it comes to the wide receivers group in Cleveland. Through three games, Andrew Hawkins has been leading the group. Miles Austin has also looked healthy and strong in his limited time on the field. Charles Johnson is also playing well. With Gordon out, everyone must step up.
