3 teams that can afford to sign Josh Gordon

The NFL has allowed one of the most talented receivers, Josh Gordon, to play again after being reinstated this week for the first time since the 2019 season.

Josh Gordon, a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft, was suspended from the league for using performance-enhancing drugs and violating the league's policy of substance abuse. Since joining the NFL in 2012, it marked the fifth time Gordon has been suspended.

Receivers of Gordon's quality don't come away that easy, and yes, there's going to be a lot of off-field questions for the team that signs him, but he's also talented enough to earn more than just the veteran minimum, especially because he will probably have some kind of market for his services now that he's reinstated.

At the moment, Gordon is free to sign with any team, and he can play as early as week 4, but teams interested in signing him will have to weigh how much he'll occupy the salary cap. Here are three teams where he'd be a great option:

3 possible teams for Josh Gordon to sign with

#1 - New Orleans Saints

The Saints' wide receiver room is pretty good if you compare it with a CFL roster, but not so much for an NFL level. Not only is there not enough depth, but Michael Thomas will miss some time because of his injury. Not even having Sean Payton as a playcaller can help an offense without reliable pass catchers.

New Orleans Saints v Baltimore Ravens

It's impossible to fix this problem suddenly, but one thing the Saints can do is take a flier at Gordon with hopes that he'll be a deep threat good enough to potentialize the entire receiver room. New Orleans has some security with the salary cap as of now and he'd come cheap, so it's a gamble worth taking to help Jameis Winston.

#2 - Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are comfortable with their 2021 salary cap, but they need every possible rollover for 2022, a year where their financial situation looks worrying as of now.

If Atlanta signs Gordon, money wouldn't be an issue. Most likely, his contract would be signed for the veteran minimum, which would have little impact on the Falcons' salary cap, allowing them to hold that breathing room for 2022.

Plus, he's a sizable upgrade for any player the Falcons are considering using as a second receiver right now. Atlanta should definitely monitor this situation.

#3 - Detroit Lions

The Lions are beginning to rebuild their franchise, so it's not like they need Gordon as a short-term fix. If he arrives in Detroit, he will instantly be the best receiver in the team, because the Lions have a dysmal wide receiver group.

Gordon would earn more money in Detroit than he would in the above options, and this would be a nice opportunity for him to showcase that he still got it for the whole league before hitting free agency in 2022.