The Cleveland Browns have traded troubled receiver Josh Gordon to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round draft pick. If Gordon isn't active for at least 10 games this season, the Patriots will get Cleveland's seventh-round choice.
The move came after word surfaced Saturday the Browns were unhappy with Gordon after he showed up late at the team facility with a hamstring injury that was not suffered during practice that week.
The trade ends what has been a troubled time in Cleveland for Gordon, a second-round supplemental draft pick of the Browns in 2012.
He burst onto the scene in 2013 as the NFL's leader in receiving yardage with 1,646 yards on 87 catches but has played in just 11 games since, having been suspended multiple times by the league for violation of the substance abuse policy.
Gordon played in the opener for the Browns against the Steelers, catching one pass on three targets. It was a touchdown catch, as the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Gordon went over Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton to haul in the 17-yard pass in the end zone.
He did not play in the team's 21-18 loss in New Orleans Sunday.
Acquiring Gordon continues a trend for the Patriots of trying to fix their receiving corps.
The Patriots traded speedster Brandin Cooks to the Rams in the offseason, then signed a number of different veterans in the hopes of replacing him, including Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, Eric Decker and Corey Coleman. None are still with the team.
The Patriots assured that Monday by releasing Coleman, a former first-round pick of the Browns, after making the trade for Gordon. The Patriots also get Julian Edelman back from serving an NFL suspension for violation of the substance abuse policy in Week 5.