What Could the Browns Gain From Trading Josh Gordon?

Oct 3, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon (12) makes a catch and looks to get away from Buffalo Bills free safety Aaron Williams (23) during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Rumors are running rampant that the Cleveland Browns are either taking calls or sending out feelers for a trade of wide receiver Josh Gordon, who has replaced Trent Richardson as the team’s top offensive weapon.

The Browns obviously aren’t afraid to make bold trades, and after their Thursday night football win over the Buffalo Bills, they have likely won too many games to get the number one overall pick.

So what can the Browns gain from trading away Josh Gordon?

Well, Gordon is one mis-step away from being suspended for a very lengthy period of time, so if the Browns traded him for a first round pick (presumably) they could avoid a potential serious setback before his value decreases significantly.

Second, the Browns are going for pure quantity in draft picks it seems, so if they traded Gordon now, there’s a real possibility they could have three first round picks to work with and a full season to prepare to use them.

I’m not entirely sure I would want the Browns to trade Gordon if it was my favorite team, especially after they used a second rounder on him in the Supplemental Draft last year in the first place. However, if you could flip him for a first rounder and he ends up making a mistake in another city, it would look like a genius move.

Gordon’s past actions could hurt his value, however, so the Browns shouldn’t take less than they think Gordon’s worth, which is why I think they will end up hanging on to him, and hopefully he doesn’t have any more off-field issues.