ENGLEWOOD, Colorado — A little-known tight end recently signed off the street may just hold the solution to turning around a struggling Denver Broncos offense.
Journeyman Richard Gordon's particular set of skills opens up quite a few avenues for the Broncos. He can block, meaning Peyton Manning should have Owen Daniels and Virgil Green available for short passes over the middle. That translates into teams having to defend the middle again, which could in turn spark a sputtering ground game.

So maybe this is a bit of a stretch for a fifth-year tight end who is joining his fifth NFL team. But the Broncos are searching for fixes to an offense that ranks 29th in the league heading into Sunday night's showdown against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

Gordon isn't shy about going straight to the source as he takes this crash course in the Broncos' offense.

"It's nothing to turn around and ask (Manning) a question and he can tell me," said the 28-year-old Gordon, who was signed by Denver on Oct. 14, released a few days later and then signed again last week. "When you need help, he is there to help you."

Because Gordon could be a big help in keeping Manning upright as he scans the field for an open receiver. Ever since losing Julius Thomas and Jacob Tamme to free agency, Manning has been searching for a security blanket over the middle. Daniels and Green have assisted a banged-up offensive line with blocking, which limits their production in the passing game. They have a combined 17 catches and three TDs.

Denver was counting on rookie tight end Jeff Heuerman to provide a lift in the passing game, but he tore his ACL in May. It put a dent in coach Gary Kubiak's plans.
"I love running tight-end type offenses, two-tights, three-tights and those type of things," Kubiak said. "How we're built right now is a lot different, so we're having to adjust to that. We'll see where we go."

Gordon was a defensive end at the University of Miami before being converted into a tight end right around his junior year. A sixth-round pick by Oakland in 2011, Gordon has four career catches in stints with the Raiders, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Tennessee.

His plan here is simple for now.

"I just have to learn my plays," said Gordon, who's listed at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds.

Added protection can only help the 39-year-old Manning, who has more interceptions (10) than TDs (7) this season. His teammates have his back, though, with everyone asking the same sort of question this season: What's wrong with Manning?

"We're going to rally behind everybody," tailback C.J. Anderson said. "I'm not playing as well as where I'd like to be right now, and they're rallying behind me."

Anderson has yet to break off a run longer than 14 yards. And while Ronnie Hillman has two 100-yard games, the Broncos still rank 30th in the league in rushing.

Basically, the holes that were prevalent a year ago are just not opening up. Part of that has to do with a patchwork offensive line, with Denver reshuffling things before the season even began when Ryan Clady tore an ACL in the spring. Rookie left tackle Ty Sambrailo has been banged up in recent weeks, too, leading to more shuffling.

"We'll keep plugging here," Kubiak said. "We're going to all try to get better as we go."


(wthe.com)

Two days after releasing TE Richard Gordon, the Broncos brought the 6-foot-4, 265-pounder back to their roster, waiving RB Kapri Bibbs to clear the spot.

Bibbs, who had been on the practice squad, was promoted to the 53-man roster Saturday because of Juwan Thompson's hamstring injury. The Broncos intitially released Gordon to make room for Bibbs because they needed three running backs on the active game-day roster at Cleveland on Sunday.

Gordon practiced throughout last week and is expected to provide the Broncos with some help as a blocking tight end.

He has four career catches for 14 yards and a touchdown since joining the NFL in 2011 as a sixth-round pick of the Oakland Raiders.

Bibbs made his regular-season debut Sunday and did not see any snaps on offense, but he did field a squibbed kickoff to start overtime that he returned for 15 yards.


(9news.com)

The Broncos on Wednesday announced they waived tight end Mitchell Henry and signed Richard Gordon to their active roster.

Gordon, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound tight end out of the University of Miami, was drafted by the Raiders in the sixth round (No. 181) in 2011. After two seasons in Oakland, Gordon jumped to the Steelers then Titans before landing with the Chiefs in March as an unrestricted free agent.

In 34 career games, he has recorded 14 yards on four receptions with one touchdown.

In addition to playing tight end, he has also played fullback and special teams, recording 18 career tackles.

The transaction comes less than a week after Henry, a waiver claim from Green Bay, was kept over veteran tight end/fullback James Casey when the Broncos had to clear a roster spot for defensive end Derek Wolfe. The move appeared to signal the Broncos' appreciation for Henry, a player they had hoped to sign as a college free agent following the 2015 draft.

Coach Gary Kubiak has long been fond of versatile tight ends, but the Broncos' offensive struggles this season have extended to the group; Owen Daniels, a 10th-year veteran, is 12-of-26 on targets this season (he was 0-for-5 at Oakland) for 61 yards and two touchdowns.


(denverpost.com)

Alongside rumours of the Eagles working out Bradley Fletcher today, the birds are said to be working out free tight end Richard Gordon, who was recently released from the Chiefs following an injury reserve placement in the off-season a few weeks ago.

TE Richard Gordon is set to workout for the #Eagles on Monday, per source. Used to play for Chiefs, great blocker.

— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) October 12, 2015

Gordon was drafted by the raiders in the sixth round of the 2011 draft and has since had spells with the Steelers, Titans and most recently the Chiefs this Off-season. The 28 year old free agent has 34 appearances with five starts to his name and a touchdown with the Raiders in his second season. Gordon also caught four passes for 14 yards in his career so far.

At 6-4, 269 pounds, he certainly has the Chip Kelly prototype physique, but we can’t really see a spot opening up anytime soon. With Ertz and Celek enjoying their highest target rate of the season last week and a physical Trey Burton waiting in the wings, this may just be for scouting purposes but will be interesting to see where the tryout goes.


(phillysportsnetwork.com)

The Chiefs signed rookie linebacker Tyrell Adams to the practice squad, according to the personnel notice.

The 6-2, 228-pound Adams entered the league in May as an undrafted free agent out of West Georgia with the Seattle Seahawks.

He signed a contract with Seattle after a successful tryout in rookie minicamp, and recorded three solo tackles against the Chiefs during the second preseason game.

The final move surrounded the release of tight end Richard Gordon as a vested veteran.

Gordon began the season on injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason finale, but the Chiefs and Gordon reached an injury settlement, per the report.

The 6-4, 265-pound Gordon spent time with the Chiefs in 2013, 2014 and the past offseason. He originally entered the NFL in 2011 as a sixth-round pick of the Oakland Raiders.


(chiefsdigest.com)

The Chiefs signed wide receiver Jeremy Maclin this week, reuniting him with coach Andy Reid and others who were in the Eagles organization earlier in Maclin’s career.

On Friday, they re-signed a player that Maclin also knows from his days in Philly. The Chiefs announced that they have re-signed wide receiver Jason Avant, who joined them in November after an uneventful stint with the Panthers.

Avant caught 13 passes for 152 yards in five games with the team and his return extends a working relationship with Reid that dates back to when the Eagles picked Avant in the fourth round of the 2006 draft. Avant was never the most dynamic receiver, but he’s been a reliable possession receiver throughout his career and could remain one for a receiving corps that’s still thin beyond Maclin.

The team also announced that they’ve re-signed tight end Richard Gordon and safety Kelcie McCray. McCray had 11 tackles while playing mostly on special teams in all 16 games last year while Gordon had one catch in four games with the Chiefs in the last two seasons.


(profootballtalk.com)

The Chiefs brought back veteran tight end Richard Gordon on Tuesday, just three months after he was released during training camp.

To make room for Gordon, the team released first-year pro Phillip Supernaw.

Gordon, who is listed at 6 feet 4 and 268 pounds, joined the Chiefs last December and caught one pass for 3 yards with the team. He re-signed with the Chiefs in the offseason but was released shortly before the regular-season opener.

Gordon signed with the Tennessee Titans in October and started two games but did not log any stats. He was released a week ago to make room for outside linebacker Kaelin Burnett.

Gordon, a fourth-year pro who played at the University of Miami, was taken in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. For his career, Gordon has caught four passes for 14 yards and a touchdown.

The Chiefs signed Supernaw from the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad in early November after the season-ending injury to third-string tight end Demetrius Harris. Since then Supernaw has played in two games and caught one pass for 3 yards.


(kansacity.com)

The Titans have added tight end Richard Gordon to their 53-man roster.

Gordon (6-4, 265) has played three seasons, primarily with the Raiders and Chiefs. In 29 career games, he's totaled four receptions and one touchdown. He was a sixth-round selection by the Raiders in the 2011 NFL Draft.

The Titans have also added linebacker Nate Askew and receiver Derek Moye to their practice squad.

Askew (6-4, 235) was an undrafted college free agent who signed with the Buccaneers, and was waived following training camp. Moye (6-5, 210) was an undrafted college free agent in 2012, who spent time with Miami, New Orleans and Pittsburgh over the last three seasons.


(tennessean.com)

It was one of the busiest NFL proCane roster cut weekends of all-time. See below all the action.

WR LaRon Byrd was cut by the Dallas Cowboys who signed him this offseason, but was quickly picked up by the Cleveland Browns and placed on their active roster.

DB Brandon Harris was cut by the Texans, who drafted him out of Miami 3 years ago, but was also quickly picked up and added to the Titans active roster.

Practice Squad Signings: Stephen Morris: Jags, Tommy Streeter: Dolphins, Chase Ford: Vikings, Erik Swoope: Colts, Brandon Washington: Rams, Harland Gunn: Falcons, Micanor Regis: Panthers, Asante Cleveland: 49ers.

Cuts: Maurice Hagens: Falcons, Eric Winston: Seahawks, Richard Gordon: Chiefs, Tyler Horn: Titans, Jared Wheeler: Bills.

Eighteen UM seniors auditioned, plus former Canes players Aldarius Johnson, Davon Johnson, Vaughn Telemaque and Dyron Dye (who was tossed off the UM team last season because of his connection to the NCAA investigation, landed at Bethune Cookman and then received permission to work out Thursday).
Ray-Ray Armstrong, now with the St. Louis Rams, attended Thursday to offer emotional support for Dye, his former teammate at UM and Sanford Seminole High.

Richard Gordon, Kenny Phillips, Antrel Rolle and Micanor Regis were among other former Canes observing.  




(hurricanesports.com)

For the second time in the last week, the Kansas City Chiefs re-signed one of their own free agents. TE Richard Gordon, who was signed late in the season, received a 1-year contract extension, according to Brian McIntyre and verified via NFLPA records. The contract is worth $645,000.

Last week, the Chiefs re-signed long snapper Thomas Gafford, one of their own free agents, to a 1-year contract.

Gordon, who went to college at Miami, was a 2011 sixth round pick by the Oakland Raiders. By 2013, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers for a brief stint before being released. In mid-December of last year, the Chiefs signed him. He appeared in one game for the Chiefs, the Week 17 finale against the San Diego Chargers where the starters rested. He caught one pass for three yards.

Gordon was scheduled to be a restricted free agent, which meant the Chiefs controlled his rights. Gordon is like so many other young players on the Chiefs who are basically an unknown. Good teams get contributions from unlikely places, such as a former sixth round pick who has been on three teams in three years.


(arrowheadaddict.com)

With the first round of the NFL playoffs complete, some proCanes were sent home packing while others continue their quest for a Super Bowl ring.

With the New Orleans Saints defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, Jimmy Graham and Jon Vilma (IR) advance to the next round of the playoffs to take on the proCane-less Seattle Seahawks. Go Saints! The Eagles lost because they didn’t have any proCanes.

Two proCanes were sent home with the Kansas City Chiefs losing a thriller to the Indianapolis Colts. DL Allen Bailey and TE Richard Gordon were sent home while Reggie Wayne (IR) will continue to help his team from sidelines in their next game versus the New England Patriots who have proCane DL Vince Wilfork who is also on IR.

The San Francisco 49ers behind the solid running of proCane RB Frank Gore ended up defeating the Green Bay Packers who lost proCane DB Sam Shields in the first quarter of their defeat. The 49ers will face the Carolina Panthers who have proCane TE Greg Olsen on the field and QB Coach Ken Dorsey on the sidelines. The Packers also have scouts Glenn Cook and Alonzo Highsmith on their staff as well as Winston Moss.

The Chargers who don’t have a proCane and defeated the proCane-less Bengals (boooooring), will face the Denver Broncos with their solid proCane offensive lineman Orlando Franklin.

The Kansas City Chiefs signed veteran tight end Richard Gordon and placed tight end Dominique Jones on the reserve-non-football illness list.

The Chiefs signed wide receiver Fred Williams and tight end Jake Byrne to the practice squad roster. The Chiefs cut wide receiver Jheranie Boyd from the practice squad and placed tight end Demetrius Harris on the practice squad-injured reserve list.

Gordon has played in 27 games in two NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He has three receptions for 11 yards with one touchdown. Gordon was released by Oakland prior to the start of the season and then signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was released by the Steelers this month.

Jones has played in 12 games in two NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and Chiefs. He has three receptions for 42 yards.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated tight end Matt Spaeth from injured reserve-designated to return, cutting tight end Richard Gordon.

Spaeth suffered a foot injury during the preseason. The seven-year veteran was originally drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft and played his first four seasons with the Steelers before spending the past two seasons with the Chicago Bears. Spaeth signed back with Pittsburgh this past offseason.

Gordon was inactive for seven games since being signed in October.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

He likely won't be nicknamed "Flash."

The Steelers signed tight end Richard Gordon, but not for his vertical speed. The 268-pounder is much closer to a tackle than a receiver. His lone NFL touchdown came against the Steelers - a one-yard lob from Carson Palmer off play-action.

He attended Miami Norland High School with Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown for a spell - also the alma mater of Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe - but the similarities as players pretty much end there.

Gordon is a blocking H-back sort, as opposed to the quick, diminutive slot receiver role played by his graduating classmate.

Gordon got the scholarship to Miami, while Brown ventured outward to Central Michigan. Brown was a sixth-round pick in 2010, while Gordon went in the same round in 2011.

How long Gordon will even last in Pittsburgh is anyone's guess with three tight ends on the roster - Heath Miller, David Paulson and Michael Palmer - and Matt Spaeth presumably edging closer to a return.

Gordon was given the No. 44, which, contrary to an earlier thought, means nothing by way of Gordon playing H-back vs. tight end. Teams can use jersey numbers in the 40s when none in the 80s are available for a tight end - all of which are currently spoken for in some way: Plaxico Burress (80), Paulson (81), Palmer (82), Miller (83), Antonio Brown (84), David Johnson (85), Hines Ward (86), Spaeth (87), Emmanuel Sanders (88) and Jerricho Cotchery (89).

It doesn't seem like fullback Will Johnson's job is in any kind of jeopardy, but perhaps the Steelers are simply looking to add a flanking blocking element to their offense in an effort to revitalize a power running game that hasn't proved effective through the team's first five games.

Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley has used H-backs most seasons, including last year, when Leonard Pope largely filled that role.

According to Pro Football Focus, Gordon logged 79 snaps last year with the Raiders, and received scores less than -1 in all areas. Nothing terrible, nothing outstanding.


(behindthesteelcurtain.com)

Tight end Richard Gordon: It would be a surprise if he were waived, because he is a fine blocker. But Oakland is pretty wide open at tight end. If the Raiders feel like their other young tight ends offer more potential than Gordon, he could be sent packing.





(espn.com)

Raiders OC Greg Olson says the team is trying to decide between Richard Gordon and Jeron Mastrud to be its starting tight end.
Giggle. With David Ausberry (shoulder) out indefinitely, the Raiders will resort to starting a player who likely wouldn't make 31 other rosters. "Richard Gordon and Jeron Mastrud, they’re in the battle for the No. 1 spot," said Olson. "We like the emergence of our young tight ends (Mychal Rivera, Nick Kasa), but we’ll really take a good hard look at Richard Gordon and Jeron Mastrud this week."


(rotoworld.com)