Josh Gordon reportedly made strong impression with Patriots coaches

New England Patriots fans need to temper their expectations for Josh Gordon given his lengthy history with substance abuse issues, but it sounds like the star wide receiver’s first week with the team was a good one.

Gordon has been listed on the injury report with a hamstring injury, and he will reportedly be a game-time decision for Sunday night’s game against the Detroit Lions. If he does play, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says there is a belief he could play a significant role after making a “strong initial impression” with Bill Belichick and his staff.

Bill Belichick will finalize the status of Josh Gordon later today. He made a strong initial impression with coaches. Eager to learn the system. Many there believe he could contribute vs. Lions tonite despite just arriving a few days ago

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 23, 2018

When Belichick finally agreed to discuss the Gordon trade with the media, he had some positive things to say about the former Cleveland Brown. If Gordon can’t stay focused in New England, the Patriots won’t hesitate to cut him after giving up a fifth-round pick to acquire him. They have taken chances on controversial players in the past and seen them work out, and Gordon has a great opportunity to revive his career catching passes from arguably the best quarterback to ever play.