Josh Gordon practices with Patriots for the first time, shows off new number

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick can’t avoid talking about Josh Gordon now. The 27-year-old Gordon appeared at his first practice with the Patriots on Wednesday, though he looked a bit different.

Gordon — who has usually worn No. 12 — took the field wearing No. 10. You didn’t think Tom Brady was going to give up his number, did you?

The Patriots acquired Gordon from the Cleveland Browns on Monday for a fifth-round pick. Cleveland announced its intention to cut Gordon after he missed Week 2 with a hamstring injury, and the Patriots swooped in to pick up the talented wide receiver.

Since the deal, there have been some questions about how Gordon fits in with the team. Gordon’s talent is obvious, but the receiver has dealt with substance-abuse issues in the past. Gordon missed nearly three full seasons due to suspensions.

Prior to Gordon showing up at practice, Belichick has been hesitant to speak publicly about the deal even when it was clearly completed.

Now that Gordon is officially a member of the Patriots, questions will shift to whether he’ll play Week 3 against the Detroit Lions. Hamstring injuries have prevented Gordon from seeing a lot of playing time thus far, and the transition to a new team could take some time.

While Belichick will have to acknowledge Gordon is around, he’s probably not going to reveal anything more than that.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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