Josh Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards last season.With Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon suspended for the 2014 NFL season, Stats & Info examines Gordon’s accomplishments in historical context before delving into the impact of his loss on the Browns.

Out for season

Gordon will be the first player since Jim Brown to not play the season after leading the league in receiving or rushing yards. Brown retired after leading the NFL in rushing in 1965. Gordon is the sixth All-Pro player to face a suspension of one year or more from the NFL and the first since Ricky Williams in 2006.

Outstanding in 2013

Despite missing the first two games of the 2013 season, Gordon led the league in receiving yards with 1,646, setting a Browns single-season record in the process. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Gordon was the second-youngest player in NFL history to lead the league in receiving yards at age 22. Only Billy Howton of the 1952 Packers did so at a younger age.

Most Receiving Yards
Two-Game Span in NFL History

The Browns found a receiving threat in Gordon that had been lacking for some time. Gordon was the first Browns player to lead any league in receiving yards in 64 years. Mac Speedie led the All-America Football Conference with 1,028 yards in 1949. Before Gordon, no Browns wide receiver had a 1,000-yard receiving season or made the Pro Bowl since 2007.

Gordon had a two-game run that was particularly outstanding. In Weeks 12 and 13, Gordon became the first player in NFL history with consecutive 200-yard receiving games, setting the Browns' single-game record for receiving yards (237 and 261) twice in consecutive weeks. Per Elias, his 498 yards over that tremendous two-game span was the most in NFL history.

Career in context

Since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, only two players have had more receiving yards in their first two seasons than Josh Gordon: Randy Moss and Jerry Rice. To give you an idea of what kind of career trajectory Gordon was on -- Rice is the all-time leader in receiving yards, while Moss ranks third on that list.

Most Rec Yards in 1st 2 Seasons
Since Merger

Gordon’s 1,646 receiving yards were the third most in a player's second NFL season in league history. The last player to eclipse 1,600 yards in his second NFL season was Torry Holt with the Rams in 2000 (1,635).

Impact on Browns

The Browns' offense relied heavily on Gordon last season, as he accounted for nearly 38 percent of their receiving yards. He had over 600 more receiving yards last season than the rest of the Browns' wide receivers combined. The 1,029 yards amassed by the rest of Cleveland's receivers combined would have ranked 24th in the league among individual receivers, one spot behind Michael Floyd (1,041) and one ahead of Brian Hartline (1,016).

Browns quarterbacks got more out of Josh Gordon than any other receiving option by far. Gordon was tied with Jordy Nelson for the most 30-yard receptions last season. The rest of the Browns' receivers had 11 such receptions combined. When throwing to Gordon, Browns quarterbacks averaged 10.7 yards per target, compared to 5.6 yards per target when throwing to all other pass-catchers.

With Gordon out, the Browns will have to rely on returning Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron as well as offseason additions Miles Austin and Nate Burleson in the passing game. But truthfully, a talent like Gordon is immensely difficult to duplicate or replace.