Browns' Ray Farmer doesn't think a "mega-guy'' like a Josh Gordon is critical to success
By Mary Kay Cabot, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Follow on Twitter
BEREA, Ohio -- Browns general manager Ray Farmer said Wednesday that he doesn't think a superstar receiver is crucial to a team's success, which doesn't necessarily bode well for Josh Gordon's long-term future with the club.
Gordon, who's contract is up after next season, is facing a year-long drug ban from the NFL for failing a marijuana test, according to ESPN.
"I would say 'how important are those guys?''' Farmer told radio partner 92.3 The Fan. "Name the last big-time receiver to win a Super Bowl. Name the last mega-guy. (Gordon) matters to me because I like the guy and I think he's a really good player, but at the end of the day, when you look at the teams that have these mega-receivers, name the last guy that won a Super Bowl?... There are none. The last guy that really helped his team get there was T.O. (Terrell Owens).''
Farmer told the station he'd be open to trading for a receiver.
"Why not?'' he said. "I'm open to every avenue. We're going to unearth every guy that's available.''
Farmer said he hasn't called the Texans about seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson, who's reportedly frustrated with the direction of the Texans' offense.
"He's my age,'' said Farmer. "He's 33. The question is, when do you hit the wall? You never know where the wall is until you hit it. Do you ride them all the way to the wall? Or do you give them up a year in front of the wall?''
Farmer acknowledged he "doesn't know if'' he can replace a Gordon, but doesn't think he has to.
"The reality is that you put guys in there that can play roles,'' Farmer. "If a guy is a mega-talent, you're not just going to go out on the street and find another one. If a guy is not there, you've got to parcel it. You've got to take a guy that can take the top off, you've got to take a guy that can be a possession guy. You've got to take a guy that can play a variety of roles and then you hodgepodge it. You move guys around, you put them in different situations, you use a rotation.''