Gordon shows flashes of brilliance in return to football

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon made his much-anticipated return to football Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, showing flashes of brilliance in his first action since Dec. 21, 2014. Many speculated whether Gordon could return to his 2013 form when he led the NFL in receiving yards, and while he was impressive in a 19-10 loss, there's still work to be done.

Gordon finished with four receptions for 85 yards on 11 targets, all team highs. It's clear the winless Browns have no plans to gradually work Gordon into the offense, instead letting him operate as the focal point with the season lost. Still, it was a promising debut, even as Gordon squared off against stellar competition.

Gordon's best play came late in the second quarter while facing off against Pro Bowl cornerback Casey Hayward. Prior to Sunday's game, Hayward graded out as the best cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus and was as strong a test as Gordon could have asked for. With the Chargers playing man coverage, Gordon beat Hayward off the line - as the defensive back tried to push him out of bounds - and elevated above him to snag the ball for a 28-yard gain. It was a quick glimpse of Gordon's jaw-dropping talent, and the Browns certainly hope he can make these kind of plays routinely.

It wasn't all roses for Gordon, though. He'll need to do a better job of disengaging with cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage, and become a more viable short-to-intermediate threat, with most of his yardage coming on two receptions. It also may be worth reassessing our expectations of Gordon.

Many remember him as the dynamo who recorded 87 catches for 1,646 yards in 14 games in 2013, but assuming Gordon will become the league's most explosive receiver out of nowhere is a fallacious assumption and also levels an unfair set of expectations on him. Cleveland has nothing to play for and it can afford to experiment with Gordon as he works his way back into top form, but assuming he'll re-emerge as the second coming of Antonio Brown is destined for failure.

Should Gordon prove himself to be a legitimate No. 1 receiver though, that will be one position the Browns won't need to address imminently as their rebuild continues. Gordon will certainly be a compelling player to keep an eye on going forward and could become one of the NFL's best deep threats once again. One game into his return, he certainly doesn't look like someone who's been out of football for nearly three years.