Cleveland Browns: How to replace Travis Benjamin?
By Thomas Moore
The Browns could decide to do nothing and bank on wide receiver Josh Gordon being reinstated by the NFL, simply plugging Gordon back into the lineup in replace of Benjamin.
A properly motivated Gordon should have no problem matching Benjamin’s stats from 2015, and if he is really motivated could far exceed them.
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That’s a pretty big gamble, of course, as the last time Gordon returned from a league-imposed suspension he was disinterested, didn’t bother to learn the playbook and was generally disruptive to the offense and the team. That occurred in mid-season, however; this time he will presumably have training camp and preseason to get his game together, which should result in a better on-field experience.
The Browns could also take into account the possibility that:
- Andrew Hawkins will return to his 2014 form (63 receptions for 824 yards) after struggling with concussions in 2015,
- Taylor Gabriel will do the same,
- Terrelle Pryor is actually an NFL wide receiver,
- Brian Hartline can reverse his three-year decline, and
- Dwayne Bowe‘s complete lack of production was really due to a sinister plot by the former coaching staff rather than diminishing skills.
If some of those bets pay off, and Gordon makes it back, the receiving group shouldn’t be any worse off than it was in 2015.
Next: Free Agent Options