Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon seems to have done enough in his brief five-game return in 2017 to impress his coach and front office.
Browns head coach Hue Jackson said the team hopes to have Gordon for a long time, while speaking at the combine Wednesday, according to Marc Sessler of NFL Network.
Gordon enters the 2018 offseason as an exclusive rights free agent. He cannot negotiate with other teams, and once the Browns extend a qualifying offer, he can either accept it or sit out another season.
Because of Gordon's multiple suspensions for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, he is not eligible for unrestricted free agency until the end of the 2020 season. It means he'll have had to wait eight years since being drafted in the second round in 2012, as opposed to the customary four-year rookie contract.
Gordon caught 18 of 42 targets last season, totaling 335 yards and one touchdown. Turning 27 in April, Gordon has played just 40 games since being drafted. He led the league with 1,646 yards in his sophomore season.
