Should the Raiders take a chance on Josh Gordon?

ESPN recently reported that talented wide receiver Josh Gordon has applied for reinstatement to the NFL and is hopeful he will be signed by a team by training camp.

The often-troubled Gordon was suspended indefinitely by the league in December 2019 amid battles with substance abuse. ESPN reported that the league has been drug testing Gordon for the past three months and he has passed all of the tests.

So, if Gordon does get reinstated, should the Las Vegas Raiders consider signing him?

It’s an interesting case. Gordon is 30 and hasn’t played consistently for a long time, totally just 24 games in the past six seasons. But he has skills. If he can stay on the field, Gordon probably still has No. 1 receiver ability. On pure talent, he would step into a Raiders’ uniform and be their best wide receiver.

Yes, the Raiders like their receiving crew and think they can win with the group. But they did somewhat consider trading for Julio Jones before the Atlanta Falcons sent him to the Tennessee Titans. Clearly, the Raiders are open to adding at the position.

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Raiders coach Jon Gruden craves star players, so I can see him being interested in adding Gordon to his playbook. Plus, because of his situation, I don’t think Gordon would be very expensive. I could see the Raiders having some conversations about adding Gordon if/when he returns to the league.

Adding Gordon surely isn’t a must for the Raiders, but if he can make them better, it would be worth considering.