Patriots' Josh Gordon Doesn't Return vs. Giants After Suffering Knee Injury

New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon suffered a knee injury during the first half of Thursday's win over the New York Giants and never returned.

The Patriots announced he was questionable to return, but they didn't need him as they cruised to a 35-14 win.

Gordon was traded to the Pats in September 2018 after spending the first six-plus years of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns. He enjoyed high-end success in 2013, catching 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns en route to a first-team All-Pro selection, but he's been plagued by off-field problems.

The 28-year-old Texas native also dealt with some injury issues as a member of the Browns' active roster. Last year, he suffered a hamstring issue during a promotional video shoot, which played a role in Cleveland's decision to trade him, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic.

He received an indefinite suspension from the NFL in December for violating the terms of his reinstatement following previous bans for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

If the latest injury forces him back to the sideline, the Patriots will likely use a rotation of players to fill the void behind top target Julian Edelman. Jakobi Meyers and James White could both see an uptick in targets.

Although there's little doubting Gordon's talent, he's running low on opportunities to establish himself as a reliable NFL playmaker again. He must stay healthy for an extended stretch if he's going to find his niche for New England for the rest of 2019 and potentially beyond.