D2 Sports The Boston Globe TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2019
Welcomehimback,
butdon’trelyonhim
mented drug and alcohol ad-
diction issues. He benefits from
an NFL support system.
However, while you must be
there for him as an employer,
it’s foolhardy to rely on him to
be there for you when you need
him most from a football stand-
point. That’s a fact. He hasn’t
played a full season without
some drug suspension/addic-
tion-related absence since his
rookie year of 2012. The idea
that the Patriots suddenly are
stacked at wide receiver be-
cause Gordon has been rein-
stated is about as sound as the
Celtics’ team chemistry last sea-
son. Gordon’s availability is
tenuous at best.
The view of Gordon’s 11-
game stint here last season af-
ter he was acquired from Cleve-
land in a desperation attempt
to rectify a roster hole has be-
come rosy and romanticized
because he played well and the
Patriots’ cause ultimately —
and somewhat luckily — wasn’t
hurt by his absence. Gordon
waselectricwhenhewason
the field. He was the most mes-
merizing talent at receiver for
the Patriots since Randy Moss.
However, if the team had not
embraced the noise, its run-
ning attack, and a reinvigorat-
ed Rob Gronkowski to win the
Super Bowl it’s doubtful that
Gordon’s return would be so
welcome and celebrated in
these parts.
The difference this time if
Gordon relapses is that Gronk
isn’t around to bail out the Pa-
triots. The Patriots don’t defeat
either the Kansas City Chiefs in
the AFC title game or the Los
Angeles Rams in Super Bowl
LIII without Gronkowski con-
juring up his old magic. The
loss of Gordon would have
been felt in those games and
contributed to losing out on a
sixth Super Bowl title.
If we’re being honest, the
current Patriots reclamation
project receiver who contribut-
ed most to the team obtaining
the No. 2 seed in the AFC play-
offs and a first-round bye last
season wasn’t Gordon, who
was 2-3 in the last five games
he played for the Patriots, in-
cluding back-to-back Decem-
ber defeats. It’s Demaryius
Thomas. He tore his Achilles’
tendon playing for the Houston
Texans in their Week 16 loss to
the Philadelphia Eagles, which
paved the way for the Patriots
to slip past Houston for the sec-
ond AFC bye.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick
has a credo: “dependability is
more important than ability.”
EverythingaboutGordon’sca-
reer flies in the face of that
Belichick bon mot.
Perhaps that’s why Belichick
has been stiff-arming questions
about Gordon by maintaining
it’s a league matter. He gave
WBZ’s Steve Burton a death
starewhenBurtondaredtoask
about Gordon during the
broadcast of the Patriots’ pre-
season win over the Tennessee
Titans on Saturday night. Bur-
ton wanted Belichick to ex-
pound on his boilerplate state-
ment released that day on Gor-
don’s reinstatement.
On Monday, even with Gor-
don placed on the non-football-
injury list by the Patriots — not
the league, the New England
Patriots — he still dodged ques-
tions about Gordon, whose re-
covery, well-being, and adher-
ence to the conditions of his re-
instatement are now the
responsibility of the Patriots.
If Gordon succeeds,
Belichick will embrace the
credit. If he relapses, he wants
to distance himself from the
uGASPER
Continued from Page D1
fallout because Gordon’s mere
presence in Fort Foxborough
flies in the face of a core Patri-
ots precept. Belichick isn’t the
only one contradicting himself
when it comes to Gordon. The
player’s tremendous talent, in-
telligence, and engaging per-
sonality have a way of fostering
justifications.
There is inherent hypocrisy
in the advocacy for Gordon in
Patriots Nation, with some fans
going as far as to compare the
uncertainty around his avail-
ability to a player that could be
lost to a pulled hamstring or a
separated shoulder in the cho-
reographed car crashes of NFL
football. Please.
Patriots fans are all too hap-
py to paint Gordon as a mari-
juana martyr, to minimize his
addiction problems down to
the fusty NFL not getting the
memo about our culture’s new-
found enlightenment with re-
gards to cannabis as a coping
tool for anxiety, stress, and
mental health afflictions. Gor-
don has been labeled as a guy
unfairly persecuted by the
NFL’s staunch resistance to rec-
reational marijuana use. True
to a point, but that’s not the
whole story. It never has been.
Gordon’s case is a lot more
complicated. For example, his
first suspension from the NFL
in 2013 was for codeine use,
and he has copped to abusing
prescription drugs, alcohol,
and cocaine in his life, starting
in seventh grade, as a means of
self-medication.
But even if it boiled down to
the NFL vilifying marijuana us-
ers then why aren’t those same
people vocally advocating for
Randy Gregory of the Dallas
Cowboys or former Pittsburgh
Steelers wide receiver Martavis
Bryant to be reinstated from
their violations of the league’s
substance abuse policy? Both of
those players are actual mari-
juana martyrs. Bryant applied
for reinstatement on July 15,
before Gordon applied.
The fact is that a lot of the
campaigning for Gordon is
based on preferred laundry, not
deep conviction about how so-
ciety can better serve those bat-
tling addiction or deep compas-
sion for Gordon’s struggles. It’s
more about the Patriots pre-
vailing in games than Gordon
prevailing in his personal bat-
tle. Folks are more invested in
the Patriots being proven right
for taking the risk of employing
Gordon than they are in his re-
covery.
The Patriots are walking a
tight-rope without a safety net
by counting on Gordon to but-
tress a receiving corps that has
a lot of questions outside of Ju-
lian Edelman. Gordon’s pres-
ence for the full 16 games or at
least most of the season and the
playoffs would be a game-
changer. His talent is undeni-
able and intoxicating. But his
history of chemical dependen-
cy can’t be discounted.
It’s the entire reason a play-
er of his ability was available to
the Patriots at such a low cost
(a fifth-round pick for Gordon
and a seventh-rounder from
the Browns) in the first place
last season. He’s a great talent
replete with even greater unre-
liability.
His disappearance last year
during the most crucial part of
the season can’t be ignored,
and neither can the fact that
the pattern he’s run most often
in his career as a wide receiver
is one that has led to unavail-
ability.Christopher L. Gasper can be
reached at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter
@cgasper.Edelmaninpadsforfirsttime
By Jim McBride
and Nicole Yang
GLOBE STAFF AND BOSTON.COM STAFF
FOXBOROUGH — The Pa-
triots receiving corps received
some unexpected boosts Mon-
day, asJulian
Edelmanprac-
ticed in pads
for the first
time this summer.
In addition, rookie first-
round pickN’KealHarryand
veteransPhillipDorsettand
MauriceHarrisreturned as
well.
All of this came on the day
JoshGordonmade his practice
debut. The receiver participat-
ed in stretching but was not in
pads as he began the day on the
non-football injury list.
The media window for
watching practice was limited
to stretching and jogging, so it’s
unclear about the participation
level of the returning receivers.
Edelman had been on non-
football injury list as he recov-
ered from a broken left thumb.
Harry suffered a pair of appar-
ent leg injuries in Detroit, one
at practice and another in the
game, which was the preseason
opener.
Dorsett missed the second
Detroit practice after coming
down hard and leaving the
Wednesday practice early. He
participated in warm-ups for
the Tennessee game Saturday
night but did not play.
“I feel good,’’ Dorsett said
with a smile before practice.
Harris suffered an undis-
closed injury during the second
joint practice in Nashville and
didn’tplayinthevictoryover
the Titans.
Fellow receiversDemaryius
ThomasandCamMeredithal-
so were on the field for the me-
dia window but, like, Gordon,
were not in uniform.
Tight endMattLaCosse,
who sprained his ankle in the
Lions game, also was back in
uniform.
Outside linebackersDerek
RiversandShiliqueCalhoun,
both of whom were injured in
the Titans game, were not spot-
ted at practice.
As is his policy, coachBill
Belichickdeclined to discuss
injuries during his morning
meeting with reporters. The
coach did take a humorous ap-
proach to his answers, howev-
er.
“Yeah, those injury reports
— is that in two weeks? Yeah,I’m pretty excited to be able to
give those out when they come
out in a couple of weeks,’’ he
said with a chuckle. “Yeah, so
until then, we’re not able to do
that, but I’m looking forward to
those injury reports when we
get to give those out. We’ll
make sure you guys all get a
copy of them. We don’t want
anybody to be left behind.’’PunterRyanreleased
The Patriots released punter
RyanAllen, according to a
league source.
Allen was with the team for
six seasons and he was on three
Super Bowl-winning teams.
The Patriots re-signed Allen
to a one-year deal in March, but
he lost a battle with rookie
punterJoshBailey, who was a
fifth-rounddraftpickin2019.
Bailey began holding for kicker
StephenGostkowskiin prac-
tice and in Saturday’s pre-
season victory over the Titans.
Allen, a left-footed punter,
was excellent in situational
football, and he might have had
his best game in Super Bowl
LII, punting five times for 215
yards (an average of 43 yards)
with three downed inside the
20.Saubertsurprised
Tight endEricSaubertwas
caught by surprise when he
found out he had been traded
from the Atlanta Falcons to the
Patriots last week.
“I didn’t see that coming,”
Saubert said Monday at GilletteStadium. “But, it’s the nature of
this business and I’m here now,
so I’ll put my best foot forward
and focus on contributing to
this team.’’
Saubert, who was selected
174th overall by the Falcons in
the 2017 NFL Draft, acknowl-
edged the past six days have
been a bit of a whirlwind. The
25-year-old participated in his
first practice at Gillette Stadi-
um last Tuesday before jetting
off to Nashville for a pair of
joint practices with the Titans.
The business trip concluded
with Saturday’s preseason con-
test in which Saubert caught a
pass from quarterbackJarrett
Stidhamfor 10 yards.
Back in Foxborough on
Monday, Saubert said he’s still
in “catch-up mode.” Individual
sessions with tight ends coach
NickCaleyhave been particu-
larly useful in learning the nu-
ances of the offense, Saubert
noted.
“I’m just trying to soak in
everything I can because I’m so
behind,” Saubert said. “Him
working with me, I appreciate
so much, so that’s been huge.”
New England’s depth chart
at tight end also includes La-
Cosse;BenjaminWatson, who
is suspended for the first four
games of the season; fellow
newcomerLanceKendricks;
second-year playerRyanIzzo;
and former practice-squad
memberStephenAnderson.
Saubert said he’s happy to
contribute in whatever way
possible.“I’ll do anything for this
team that they ask me to do,”
he said. “Catch passes, block,
be that wide tight end, [in-line]
tight end, special teams —
that’s a big part of what I do.
So, anything they need me to
do, I’ll be there.”Bradytoplay?
Does quarterbackTom Bra-
dyneed to play Thursday to be
prepared for the regular sea-
son?
“As always, we’ll do what’s
best for the football team — for
each player and for the team,”
Belichick said.
Brady has yet to take a pre-
season snap this season.
CenterDavidAndrews,who
also has yet to see any game ac-
tion, said he would love the op-
portunity to compete but noted
the decision is up to the coach-
ing staff.
“I just do what I’m told,” he
said. “I prepare each week like
I’m going to play. I do what I’m
told in that aspect. It’s not my
decision to judge or make those
calls.
“If you love competing, any
chance you can go out there
and compete that you don’t get
to is — you know, you want to
be out there. But at the same
time, the coaches make the de-
cisions. It’s my job to follow
those decisions.”Jim McBride can be reached at
[email protected].
Follow him on Twitter
@globejimmcbride.Gordonreturns,Patriotssupporthim
refreshing.’’
Gordon made two quick ap-
pearances in the locker room
during media availability, once
picking something up from his
locker before heading to the
training room and then anoth-
er visit before heading toward
the meeting rooms.
“I’ve briefly been able to say
hello to him,’’ said running
back Rex Burkhead. “He’s a
great player, great guy, and it’s a
pleasure to see him around
again. He’s a great addition for
our team. Whatever the coach-
es ask of him, I’m sure he’ll be
ready to do it.’’
Gordon was out on the prac-
tice field as “Out the Mud,’’
from Lil Baby and Future
blared over the speakers. He
was in game pants but no hel-
met or pads as he did some
light, high-step jogging and
stretching with his teammates.
Because the 28-year-olduPATRIOTS
Continued from Page D1Gordon was placed on the non-
football injury list, there was
only so much he could do dur-
ing the session.
Gordon looks to be in phe-
nomenal condition, though it’s
tough to tell if he’s in football
shape because he hasn’t prac-
ticed or played since the Patri-
ots lost in Pittsburgh in Decem-
ber.
Per the conditions of his re-
instatement, Gordon isn’t al-
lowed to participate in Thurs-
day’s preseason game against
the Panthers, even if the Patri-
ots elect to remove him from
NFI.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 225-
pound Gordon had an immedi-
ate impact upon joining the Pa-
triots last season. He built a
rapport with Tom Brady and
caught 40 passes for 720 yards
and three touchdowns.
If he can build on that, it
will go a long way in boosting a
receiving corps that has been
without Julian Edelman, whomade his full pads debut Mon-
day after being on NFI with a
broken thumb all summer, and
will be without Rob Gronkows-
ki, who is enjoying retirement.
“He’s a physical specimen —
we all know that,’’ said Dorsett.
“Even from what he did last
year – he helped this team out a
lot. And we’re definitely hoping
he can come back and do the
same thing.’’
Gordon is a powerful player
with excellent size, accelera-
tion, and strength. He has the
length and power of a tight end
and the gracefulness of a re-
ceiver. He runs superb slants
and go-routes and will chal-
lenge and fight for contested
balls.
If Gordon is able to get back
up to speed quickly it would
shake up a receiving corps that
has seen a ton of competition
from a ton of candidates this
summer.
Gordon could join Edelman,
Dorsett, and rookies N’KealHarry and Jakobi Meyers as
roster locks. Demaryius Thom-
as and Cam Meredith are still
on the physically-unable-to-
perform list.
Veterans Maurice Harris,
who has had a strong summer,
as well as Braxton Berrios,
Gunner Olszewski, Ryan Davis,
and Damoun Patterson are also
battling for a spot.
Bill Belichick has liked what
he’s seen from the group but ac-
knowledged there’s a long way
to go before any decisions are
made.
“I think the guys that have
been out there have improved,’’
the coach said before practice.
“There’s still a lot of people we
haven’t seen actively on the
field. I mean, we’ve seen them,
but they haven’t participated.
So, to be determined.’’Jim McBride can be reached at
[email protected].
Follow him on Twitter
@globejimmcbride.Brown rejoins Raiders; helmet still issue
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Star receiverAntonioBrown
returned to training camp with
the Raiders on Monday, a day
after being giv-
en an ultima-
tum by general
managerMike
Mayockto be ‘‘all in or all out.’’
Brown also filed a new
grievance against the NFL to
use a helmet (Schutt AiR Ad-
vantage) that is less than 10
years old, according to reports.
An independent arbitrator
ruled that Brown could not use
his old helmet, which is more
than 10 years old, because of
safety concerns.
As for on the field, Browntook part in meetings in Napa
before the team broke camp, a
person familiar with the situa-
tion said on condition of ano-
nymity because the team didn’t
release details.
Brown didn’t attend prac-
tice Sunday as he works to find
a helmet he’s comfortable us-
ing and meets safety standards
set by the NFL and NFLPA.
AgentDrewRosenhaustold
ESPN he expects Brown to be
back practicing soon and that
they are looking into ‘‘all op-
tions right now to resolve the
helmet issue.’’Garoppolostruggles
Broncos receiverEmmanuelSandershadabetterreturnto
action than 49ers quarterback
JimmyGaroppoloin San Fran-
cisco’s 24-15 preseason win at
Denver on Monday night.
Sanders caught a 5-yard
pass fromJoeFlaccoon the
Broncos’ first offensive play
and added a 19-yard run on a
reverse in his first game since
tearing his left Achilles’ tendon
in practice last December.
Garoppolo went just 1 for 6
for zero yards and an intercep-
tion in his first game since suf-
fering a season-ending knee in-
jury last September.
Garoppolo’s first pass was
knocked down by defensive
linemanShelbyHarrisand hissecond one was intercepted by
cornerbackIsaacYiadom.Rodgersmayplay
AaronRodgersis participat-
ing in practice and is expected
to play in the Packers’ third
preseason game against the
Raiders in Canada Thursday
night.... Seahawks wide re-
ceiverD.K.Metcalfwill have
minor knee surgery... The
Bills reached an injury settle-
ment and released CBE.J.
Gaines...JimHardy, the oldest
living University of Southern
California and Los Angeles
Rams football player who was
the MVP of the 1945 Rose Bowl,
died. He was 96.PATRIOTS
NOTEBOOKJIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFFThe Patriots are hoping that the locker of wide receiver
Josh Gordon will be in full use for the entire season.
JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF
Julian Edelman (center) gave the receiving corps a boost by putting on helmet and pads.NFL
NOTEBOOK