Report: Chiefs to Sign Reinstated Wide Receiver Josh Gordon

The 30-year-old wideout is on the verge of rejoining the NFL and heading to the Chiefs.

The Kansas City Chiefs aren't finished adding to their wide receiver room after all. Wideout Josh Gordon is planning on signing with the team, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Former All-Pro WR Josh Gordon, who is being reinstated, is planning to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, sources tell ESPN. His agents, Eric Dounn and Matt Leist from @LAASportsEnt, confirmed Gordon is headed to Kansas City. pic.twitter.com/nqpJXn3oni

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 27, 2021

Gordon, 30, last played during the 2019 season with the New England Patriots and, later, the Seattle Seahawks. He is being reinstated by the league, also per Schefter, after being suspended indefinitely in January. Gordon has a history of issues regarding the league's substance abuse policy but is being given another chance to prove himself at the highest level and was reinstated on Monday.

Gordon now joins the fourth team of his career. In 2013 with the Cleveland Browns, he hauled in 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named an All-Pro for his efforts during his age-22 season but has struggled to recapture that elite level of production ever since. 

What does this mean for the Chiefs?

The Chiefs' defense has easily been their biggest problem this season, but the No. 2 wide receiver role on offense was a highly debated topic throughout the offseason — and that's continued three weeks into the 2021 campaign. Behind Tyreek Hill, the trio of Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle has shined in spurts but struggled in others. None of them have separated themselves from the pack.

Josh Gordon is expected to join the Chiefs this week & be added to their practice squad, per source.

Gordon will be elevated to the active roster once his conditioning & understanding of the Chiefs' playbook is up to speed, which could take a couple weeks.

— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) September 27, 2021

To be frank, the Chiefs aren't getting 2013 Gordon here. They may not even be getting 2018 Gordon, who notched 737 receiving yards and four touchdowns. With that said, this is a lottery ticket signing for a player with a ton of talent. If things don't work out, it won't be a major loss investment-wise for general manager Brett Veach. If Gordon turns out to be a valuable contributor (30 is a bit old but not ancient for receivers), the risk will have been worth it. All-in-all, this is an interesting move by a team that could use an injection of fresh blood at the receiver spot. 

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