Seahawks WR Josh Gordon Passes Physical, Cleared to Practice

Seattle doesn’t have any expectations for Gordon, but he’ll have a chance to carve out a role with his new team as the team starts preparing for a Monday night matchup in San Francisco.

Recently acquired receiver Josh Gordon passed his physical and according to coach Pete Carroll, he will begin practicing for the Seahawks later this week as the team begins preparation for a crucial Week 10 matchup against the 49ers.

“He’s been cleared to go. He’s ready to go.” Carroll said. “On Thursday, when we get rolling again, he’ll be going. He’s in the building studying and all that getting ready. We’ll see how it goes.”

Gordon, 28, was waived off of injured reserve by the Patriots last Thursday, opening up the opportunity for all 31 other teams to claim his rights. Carroll didn’t expect the Seahawks to be awarded the former All-Pro, but all 27 teams in front of them on the waiver wire didn’t put in a claim, allowing them to add another talented weapon for quarterback Russell Wilson.

After being inactive for Sunday’s win against Tampa Bay, Gordon has started learning the offense and Seattle expects he’ll be able to practice in full starting on Thursday. But as general manager John Schneider cautioned on ESPN 710 on Sunday, they’re hitting the brakes when it comes to expectations and have to see where he fits in.

"He's an extremely talented guy that has had his issues in the past,” Schneider said. “And we're going to give it a ride and don't expect him to come in being a white knight to save the day, but we know he's a damn good football player and we want to put him in the mix and let him compete with all the other guys."

Originally entering the NFL as a second-round supplemental draft choice for the Browns in 2012, Gordon led the NFL with over 1,600 receiving yards in 2013, earning first-team All-Pro distinction. But he missed the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons serving an indefinite suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

Since that point, Gordon’s best season came in 2018 when he produced 720 receiving yards in 11 games after being acquired by the Patriots in a midseason trade. Prior to being placed on injured reserve a few weeks ago, he caught 20 passes for 287 yards and one touchdown in six games this season.

While Gordon can be a dynamic playmaker based on prior success with Cleveland and to a lesser extent in New England, he will have to earn his time on the practice field. After meeting with coaches for the first time, Carroll was impressed by his mindset, telling reporters he simply wants an opportunity to help his new team any way he can.

“He has a good history of making plays and all that.” Carroll remarked. “I want to see him when he mixes with our guys and really just take it one step at a time with no expectations on how much he would contribute or play or whatever. I’m just going to see what happens.”

Given his lengthy history of suspensions and off-field issues, the Seahawks were reportedly the only team that put in a claim for Gordon. But Carroll has a successful track record coaching talented players with a checkered past of varying degrees, including running back Marshawn Lynch and defensive end Michael Bennett.

Looking at Gordon’s case specifically, Carroll echoed Schneider’s earlier comments, telling reporters he believes the Seahawks have a quality plan in place to help support him. If all goes well, he’ll have a shot to give Wilson another outstanding vertical threat alongside Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.

"Hopefully we're putting together a really good plan and he has a really clear process that supports him and we're aligning to make sure that that continues and he feels very good about that. We're going to do our part that we can do here to accent and support his system that he's already got in order."