He missed 10 games of the 2014 season because of substance abuse issues, then all of 2015 and 2016, and most of 2017. In training camp with the Browns this season, he missed some time for mental health treatment and underwhelmed the team in terms of performance.

On Sept. 15, Cleveland announced plans to release the receiver with a statement from General Manager John Dorsey that said, “Unfortunately we’ve reached a point where we feel it’s best to part ways and move forward.”

That announcement started a bidding war among other teams looking to secure Gordon before he hit waivers.

For the Patriots, pursuing a receiver who seemed to be at the end of the productive part of his career followed a pattern. The team has acquired several other discarded receivers over the years for next to nothing: Randy Moss, acquired for a fourth-round pick, went from looking washed up in Oakland to having the best season of his career for New England in 2007; Chad Johnson, who was acquired for a pair of draft picks in 2011, did not work out.

Gordon, 27, played in 11 games this season for the Patriots, picking up 40 catches for 720 yards and three touchdowns. That made him the team’s leading receiver in terms of yardage and yards per catch (18.0). He was the primary vertical threat for a team that otherwise relies on shorter passes to Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, James White and others.

His production dropped drastically last week. In a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gordon was targeted just twice and had one catch for 19 yards despite being on the field for more than 50 snaps. He declined to talk to reporters after the game.

In the absence of Gordon, Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson would figure to move up the depth chart in a difficult season for New England: The team has a 9-5 record, and is likely to make the playoffs, but has not found success nearly as easily as it has in recent years.