Browns owner Jimmy Haslam says Cleveland isn't about to cut ties with Josh Gordon.
"Josh is learning and growing and improving as a person," Haslam said Monday of the team's All-Pro receiver, per The Plain Dealer. "He's learning how to work hard. He's learning how to be a professional. Josh is a smart young man. All of us have made mistakes when we were that age. We're counting on Josh being a good football player for the Brownsfor a long time to come."
Gordon faces a potential league-imposed suspension on the heels of another positive drug test. News of the wideout's latest off-field drama dropped a bomb on the team's excitement over draftingJohnny Manziel, but Haslam called Gordon a key to the franchise's future.
"We spend a lot of time with all of our core players and Josh is obviously one of those," the owner said. "We have all spent a lot of time talking to Josh and I'm not going to comment on the situation but I'll say this, but I've been very pleased with his professional growth over the last year and the way he handles himself."
Gordon's absence would leave the Browns with a thinned-out receiving corps that currently houses Greg Little, Andrew Hawkins and a broken-armedNate Burleson at the position.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport noted Monday night that veteran free agents Miles Austin and Santonio Holmes loom as possible positional patches. And then, of course, there's the possibility of Andre Johnson, the agitated Texans wideout who asked on Tuesday of Houston: "Is this still the place for me?"
The "Around The League Podcast" wrapped up the draft by picking our winners and losers.
