DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Did The Browns Brain Trust Plant Gordon Trade Story?

Browns may have planted Gordon trade story to drum up interest

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 24, 2016, 8:06 AM EDT

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 23:

When Adam Schefter of ESPN reported yesterday that the Browns had fielded trade offers for receiver Josh Gordon, he added that a Browns source told him the team is not looking to trade Gordon. But now another ESPN reporter is suggesting that the Browns may have planted that story precisely because they’re considering trading Gordon.

Longtime Cleveland reporter Tony Grossi writes today, “There is a cynical point of view out there that the Browns floated the story of interest in Gordon to promote more activity.” The headline of Grossi’s piece at ESPN.com is, “There’s something fishy about the Josh Gordon trade rumors.” That’s an interesting headline for ESPN to use, seeing as those “rumors” were started by ESPN.

The cynical point of view makes sense: Who else but the Browns would know that multiple teams have expressed interest in trading for Gordon? And who else but the Browns would benefit from a perception around the league that if a team is going to trade for Gordon, that team will need to make a good offer?

Would the Browns want to trade Gordon? On its face, that doesn’t seem like a great idea: Gordon is the Browns’ most talented player, a player who led the league in receiving yards in 2013 despite missing two games. But Gordon has a long history of off-field issues, and if the Browns think he’s going to screw up again and get himself suspended again, they’d be wise to get anything they can for him in a trade now.

The truth is, the Browns would surely trade Gordon if some team bowled them over with a great offer. The Browns haven’t received such an offer yet, but floating a story about a Gordon trade may be a way to generate a good offer.

Link

If so, it's not a good look.

Yeah, we were discussing that here:

https://www.dawgtalkers.net/ubbthreads.php/topics/1139791/4/receivers

I don't buy this theory. Could they have? sure. But unless they see him about to implode again it would make no sense. Everything I'm seeing says he's towing the line, so why would they dump him before they see what they have?

Can't be money, he's cheap for two years. Can't be about winning NOW, that's not going to happen. Can't be because they need draft picks next year, they have a ton. Can't be because he has an attitude, all stories have said he's a good teammate, other than the trouble.

Now if they just don't trust he will stay clean, it makes sense. But why would they try to trade him or float rumors before he has shown anything on the field?

So I think Grossi is just creating a story here.

Hm, didn't see it. Refs, please remove if this doesn't rate its own thread. Thanks!

Sounds like Grossi is basing his theory on nothing more than his own imagination of what MIGHT have happened. He doesn't even pretend to have an anonymous source... just his own mental ramblings.

It does seem silly, but high draft picks for draft hoarders could be the catnip.

I see it completely different from you guys.

I think the Browns would be smart to create such a story. I would give them kudos if they did leak the story. This story actually makes the Browns look smart for once.

Let's face it, Gordon is not a sure thing. He has NEVER stayed clean. The Browns would be stupid to not drum-up interest in seeing what they could get for him. Likewise, leaking this news might help drum-up interest.

So, while I get that everyone hates Grossi............logic dictates that he is correct in this instance. That is, if you think the Brown's FO is smart.

Grossi being cynical? Crazy.

Are they actively shopping him or just trying to gauge his value?

I don't think anyone but the FO really knows.

If the price is right, I think just about everyone on this team is expendable.

I don't see how it possibly got to the press unless someone within the Browns organization leaked the story. And I agree that would be a smart move.

Obviously with the trade of Mingo today, they have been shopping some players.

Saw this article and thought I would share. Seems like Josh Gordon is handling the rumors well and saying all the right things.

http://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/1084622

I don't have a problem with the Browns FO seeking value for Gordon per se, but if they leaked the story then denied any interest in trading him, they're idiots. And would look like idiots. If there is interest in trading him, put out the word and see what type of value offers come in. If the value isn't there, don't trade him. It's not rocket science. But floating a story then denying interest is simply stupid.

That's the question, isn't it. And I agree, everyone is for sale at the right price.

I don't think it would make them idiots. I think it is them trying to increase the cost of what it would take to get him.

You know........I was thinking back to Randy Moss [guess it was Mingo being traded to the Pats and Gordon perhaps being available.] I looked it up............New England traded a 4th and 7th for him. Interesting.

Somebody within the organization had to leak it, I don't think Shefty is the kind of guy who just makes stuff up. The question is whether the leak was real or if it was intentionally made up for other reasons, as Grossi speculates.

I think they leaked it just so they could show Josh they value him and that they are not going to let him go so he would be encouraged to keep trying hard to be worthy of his second chance so to speak.

Fixed it for you.

Agreed. There's been plenty of spotlight on Josh's return already, and plenty of press coverage highlighting a new, more dedicated Josh Gordon. I should think that alone is enough for any team doing their due diligence to pick up the phone and inquiring if the Browns would be interested. Even if they did leak their own story, I don't see how it would garner more interest in Josh than there already would be.

Didn't need it fixed. I'm quite happy with the way I wrote it.

LOL......okay, you humorless person.

Useless Machiavellian machinations for a straight-forward process that goes something like this:

FO: Hey, we're thinking about trading Gordon if the price is right.
Other guys: Would you take a 4th and a 7th?
FO: Hm, tempting but no. How about a 2nd round pick?
Other guys: No thanks. But we'd consider giving you a third round pick.
FO: Mmm, no, thank you. We'd rather keep him. (hangs up) Alert the media, we're sticking by our guy and never had any intention of trading him. And someone get me a bottle of Maalox.

How do you think he got the name Razorthorns?

it was a name I came up with back in the old days when my wife and i were playing Everquest together and I played a druid with a shield buff called thorns. Was some of the happiest times of my life and so I have used that name for everything ever since. I was one of the few druids in that game to thank the Gods for our raids in the Planes of Power. For the youngsters Everquest came out a LOOOONG time before WOW. It was also a better game minus the old graphics. Sniff I miss the days when me and the wifey could just chill and play video games all day =)

'Sashi Brown: We’re not looking to trade Josh Gordon'

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/08/25/sashi-brown-were-not-looking-to-trade-josh-gordon/

Posted by Josh Alper on August 25, 2016, 12:58 PM EDT

Wide receiver Josh Gordon is expected to play his first game for the Browns since 2014 on Friday night and his return to the field comes during a week that’s seen his name mentioned in reports of trade inquiries from other clubs.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said it was a “mischaracterization” to say that the team has heard “multiple” offers from other clubs about acquiring Gordon. He also said it was “speculation I’m not going to entertain” that the Browns floated word of those offers because they would like to deal Gordon rather than run the risk of losing him to another suspension.

“We’re not looking to trade Josh,” Brown said, via Cleveland.com.

Not looking to trade isn’t quite the same as not being willing to listen should the right offer come down the pike and Brown said Gordon fits into “the same category every other player does” in terms of having a price that could sway Cleveland.

“I’m just not going to enter into any of the speculation,” Brown said. “I understand what the interest is in Josh. There are literally hundreds of conversations going around the league about players all the time, and if we got into speculating about all the reports, about what could be going on and what conversations could be going on, we’d be here for a much longer time than we have.”

Gordon will be a restricted free agent after this season, which makes him a more appealing trade target than he would be with unrestricted free agency looming, but, for now, Brown is viewing him as “a great weapon for our offense” rather than one for someone else.

Hmmmmm..........so I wonder what they want for Josh?

It's such a weird scenario ... I've literally heard analysts, "experts," people on here, friends, family, etc talk about trading Josh ... yet NOBODY has the slightest clue what the compensation could/would be

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't "HATE" Grossi, I just think he's a guy that likes to stir things up when there is nothing else going on.


If he had waited a few more days, he'd of had Mingo to talk about.

Remember, he's the guy that "guaranteed" that Bill Cowher was going to become the next Browns HC and I think that was around the time everyone was discussing RAC potentially being fired. And he was shortly therafter.

So it's not hate as much as it is a lack of Cred that makes me laugh when Grossi says something outlandish.

But the NFL is a funny place, just when you think someones idea is nuts, it happens, so anything is possible.

Yeah........Da Man's Late to the Party, I get the part about his past. I had moved on and tried to think about the situation rationally and logically rather than automatically dismissing the story because Grossi's name was mentioned.

I responded once I read your comment. Not a minute sooner or later.

How's that being late to the party.

Grow up..

Cue the nonsense image!

Yet somethings tells me Sashimi Browns comments won't put any dent into the viral media cycle that began off misinformed speculation.

lol, Browns are shopping Gordon and leaked the story about teams being interested!

Words are only wind.
It's actions that do not lie.
Shop or not, who knows?

Why I wrote that in haiku, I'm not sure. I might already be better than Peter King.

No truth to the rumor that the story was leaked by Manziel for a party wingman. None whatsoever.

j/c

Unless the Browns just want to be rid of Gordon it makes no sense to trade him now when his value is so low. They would be better off to let him play and if he performs well trade him either before the deadline or after the season when they could get more for him. Right now with him having not played in forever and the fact that if he fails another test he's probably history I don't think they could get more then a conditional 4th rnd pick.

http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-brow...rs-ago-1.707414

At this point in time, putting a second round price [and then some] tag on Gordon is the same as saying you aren't going to trade him. No one is paying that much for a player who is suspended four games and hasn't played in a year and a half.

Add the fact that "and then some" is such an arbitrary term that can mean anything, this seems like its nothing more than market gauging.

Didn't Shefty directly say it came from the Browns Organization? What wouldn't make sense is why would the Front Office say "We're getting offers, but we're not interested" to DRUM UP interest? Isn't that counter-intuitive? If teams were interested in Gordon before, they probably would of asked by now. They're not going to say, "Oh you don't want to trade him? Well lets make an offer then!"

Well, what that means is, we've had offers, just none that we've liked.. Under the old adage that almost everything is for sale, that was their was of saying, if you have a weak offer and are trying low ball us, don't bother calling.

He said a Browns 'source'....that doesn't necessarily mean the Browns organization. That could literally be a reporter, an agent, a player, a player's relative, etc. Anyone that has ties to the football team.