NFL Notes: Browns, Giants, Patriots

Browns

• Mary Kay Cabot writes that newly reinstated WR Josh Gordon may need a few games to get up to speed before he’s ready to return to game action.
• Cabot points out that Gordon has been out of the NFL for nearly three years and is relatively new to Hue Jackson’s offensive system.
• Even so, Gordon is in the “best shape of his life” and appears determined to return to his 2013 Pro Bowl form, according to Cabot.
• Should Gordon only play in five games this season, the Browns would still own his rights for another two years, given that he’s missed so much time due to suspension and hasn’t accrued enough NFL experience to become an unrestricted free agent.
• Cabot doesn’t think owner Jimmy Haslam wants to blow things up, but she could still see him taking a long look at the current state of the franchise and possible look to fix a few areas.
• Cabot believes the Browns could still use a someone to make the final decision regarding personnel matters who has a track record of finding Pro Bowl-caliber players and particularly at the quarterback position.

Giants

Giants co-owner John Mara was asked if he had anything to say about team’s performance following their disappointing home loss to the Rams.

“No,” Mara said of the team’s performance, via NJ.com. “I think it speaks for itself, doesn’t it?”

• Giants HC Ben McAdoo didn’t rule out the quarterback position as an area where they could get other players more work at some point. (Ralph Vacchiano)

Patriots

• Todd McShay mentions Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph, N.C. State’s Ryan Finley, Washington State’s Luke Falk and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson as possible quarterback prospects the Patriots could target in next year’s draft class.
• Mike Reiss of ESPN believes the Patriots may have decided to hold onto Jimmy Garoppolo until the trade deadline in the hope of getting an extension in place to keep him in New England. However, when it became clear that this wasn’t going to be a realistic option, New England abruptly changed course.