Oakland, California, United States
The Cleveland Browns‘ rookie class of 2012 is turning out to be quite the promising group. Namely, Trent Richardson and Josh Gordon both enjoyed fantastic rookie seasons. Gordon, specifically, could be set to break out as a sophomore in 2013.
With just 50 catches last season, Gordon put up a whopping 805 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. Quarterback Brandon Weeden quickly found Gordon to be his favorite down-field target and it showed as Gordon ended the year with an average of 16.1 yards per catch — astounding production from a kid so young.
In 2013, the Browns should see a bit more consistency out of their sophomore group. With their first year in the books, the guys have had time to continue developing their chemistry with one another and with the talent they possess, Cleveland could see Gordon and Richardson explode. Weeden may not fare too bad for himself, but the focus will certainly be on the two skill players.
Gordon brings one thing everybody loves to the table — speed. He has the ability to beat his man and burst pass him in just a simple ‘go’ route. Teams will have to think about double-teaming Gordon eventually if he proves once again he is a down-field threat and that his rookie year wasn’t a fluke.
With the inconsistency and injuries coming from the rest of the receiving corps, Gordon will absolutely be the focus through the air this coming season, and he certainly knows that.
In 2013, with just a little bit more improvement from his quarterback, Gordon could easily top the 1,000 yard mark and work his way up toward 8-10 touchdowns, if not more. He has the talent to produce those types of numbers, now it’s up to him and Weeden to show the consistency necessary to make it happen.
Ryan Heckman is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmheckman, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
