FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Out of football from December to August as he remained indefinitely suspended, Josh Gordon came back ready to play.

Gordon said Friday he’s in “by far” the best physical condition that he’s been in as a Patriot.

“I don’t have any injuries this year, fortunately,” Gordon said. “I’ve been in the training room with (strength and conditioning coach) Moses Cabrera every morning getting after it and continuing to grow. It’s only Week 2. I’m excited, I think we’re all excited, to see what happens halfway (and) toward the end of the season. I think it’s going to be a huge upside by that point.”

Gordon, who is listed at 225 pounds, looks noticeably bigger in his second season with the Pats and defensive backs often are giving up 35 pounds in the matchup. In the season opener against the Steelers, Gordon found running room on a shallow crossing route at the 20-yard line, turned upfield, stepped through a diving Joe Haden tackle at the 8, made safety Terrell Edmunds miss at the 6, and bounced off linebacker Anthony Chickillo as he crossed the goal line.

Normally a boundary receiver, Gordon was lined up in the slot on the play. He’s comfortable moving around and playing different spots for the Pats in Year 2.

“I think it’s great,” Gordon said. “We’ve got so many weapons. It’s going to be hard to track us down and find out where everybody is at to try to scheme against us. So if we can keep defenses on our toes, it’s going to be better for us.”

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Gordon caught three passes for 73 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening win over Pittsburgh.

LARRY GARRON, a star running back for the original Patriots, has died at 82. The team announced his death Saturday but did not give details.

Garron played from 1960 to 1968 for the Boston Patriots, whose name changed to the New England Patriots in 1971. He holds the record for the longest run in team history, 85 yards for a touchdown against Buffalo in 1961. He was a four-time American Football League All-Star and was placed on the Patriots’ all-1960s team.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft noted that Garron’s death comes in the 60th year of the franchise, calling him a “member of the Patriots family since Day 1.” Kraft added that the organization is indebted to Garron and all the original Patriots, and without their contributions “we would not be the franchise that we are today.”

Garron was born in Marks, Mississippi, and played in college at Western Illinois. He joined the Patriots for their inaugural season. He finished his career with 2,981 rushing yards, ninth on the team’s career rushing list.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville will be without starting cornerback A.J. Bouye and receiver Marqise Lee at Houston on Sunday.

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Coach Doug Marrone ruled out both players, downgrading their status from questionable and saying neither will make the trip to Houston. Bouye sustained a hip injury in the opener, and Lee is still recovering from a knee injury that cost him the entire 2018 season. Lee played 12 snaps last week.

Second-year pro Tre Herndon is expected to replace Bouye and make his first career start.

Bouye’s absence means the Jaguars (0-1) will be without two defensive starters against the Texans (0-1). Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who is third in franchise history in sacks, was ruled out Friday because of a hamstring injury.

BROWNS: Starting safety Damarious Randall will miss Monday night’s game against the New York Jets with a concussion.

Randall practiced the past two days but reported to the team’s facility Saturday with concussion-like symptoms. He has been placed in the league’s protocol for head injuries.

The 27-year-old Randall, who is in his second season with Cleveland, missed practice earlier in the week with what coach Freddie Kitchens said was a stomach virus.

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The Browns also said defensive end Chris Smith returned to practice following the tragic death of his girlfriend, Petara Cordero. She was stuck by a car Wednesday morning while standing next to Smith’s vehicle after a tire malfunction.

Cordero recently gave birth to the couple’s daughter.

The 47-year-old woman who hit Cordero told Cleveland police she had been drinking. The incident is still under investigation.

Smith practiced Saturday, but it hasn’t been determined if he’ll play in New York. He’s listed as questionable on the injury report.

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