Josh Gordon believes Browns have NFL’s best receiving corps

BEREA, OH — It’s hard to say the Cleveland Browns had the best anything a season ago. Call it a byproduct of going 0-16.

But after spending the offseason revamping the roster, particularly the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Josh Gordon thinks one Browns position group is now the NFL’s best.

“I think we’re the best receiving corps in the league, in my opinion,” Gordon asserted, Tuesday during day one of Browns mandatory minicamp. “Just based off of talent alone. So, you put in the playbook and some guys that are hungry enough to go do it, and hopefully, we go out there and show and prove that. That’s just my opinion, but we’re not short on talent at the wide receiver position at all.”

Gordon may have a point.

2017 was Gordon’s first season back on the field following a year-long suspension in 2015 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and a stint in rehab in 2016. Despite appearing in just five games, the 2012 supplemental draft pick showed flashes of the Pro Bowl caliber receiver he used to be, hauling in 18 passes for 335 yards and one touchdown.

That memorable Pro Bowl season came in 2013, when Gordon caught 87 passes for league high 1,646 yards and scored nine touchdowns. All those figures are career highs and earned the embattled wideout his only trip to the Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors. Whatever remnants of that receiver remain, Cleveland will reap the benefits.

It doesn’t stop there, though. Along with Gordon, the Browns return the speedy Corey Coleman, second-year man Ricardo Louis and recently extended versatile running back Duke Johnson. No, Johnson isn’t technically a receiver, but his usage primarily as a pass catcher make him a hybrid player. Now add in last year’s NFL receptions leader, Jarvis Landry — acquired via a trade with the Dolphins back in March — and rookie Antonio Calaway — dubbed the top receiver in this year’s draft by some, if not for off the field concerns — and suddenly Gordon’s statement doesn’t seem so ridiculous.

Landry even seconded it.

“He ain’t lyin,” the 25-year-old said. “{The} things that Josh can do, that Corey can do, and you’ve got a young cat coming up as well, (Antonio Callaway) who’s really showing a lot of flashes, obviously myself and I think the capability of what we all can do is endless. We can only, obviously, beat ourselves at this point.”

Whether or not the Browns truly have the best receiving corps in the NFL remains to be seen this fall. But they’ve undoubtedly made their case with this embarrassment of riches. For this group, the sky is the limit.