Sunday’s developments
• Although former All-Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon will serve a four-game suspension to begin the regular season, coach Hue Jackson has frequently used him with the starters in recent practices. There’s a method to his madness, too.
• “What is important is that I don’t really know him yet as a football player,” Jackson said. “I’m learning and I need to see what he is able to do. He is talented, obviously. He has a lot of talent. The more I can see him and feel him before [he’s not permitted to practice during the suspension], the more I can understand when he gets back and he can hit the ground running the right way. It is important for him to be out there with those guys. It is important for him to be with the ones because I think he is going to be one of our better players. We have to put him out there and see what he is capable of doing.”
• Jackson is hopeful Gordon can play for the first time this preseason when the Browns face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beginning at 8 p.m. Friday at Raymond James Stadium.
• Left tackle Joe Thomas (back), wide receiver Andrew Hawkins (hamstring), defensive end John Hughes (personal reason) and quarterback Austin Davis (concussion) returned to practice. Hawkins is the only one who didn’t participate in team drills.
• Running back Duke Johnson left practice with an athletic trainer and was medically cleared after being tested for a concussion, a team spokesman said.
• Running back Glenn Winston (illness, shoulder), wide receiver Ricardo Louis (hamstring) and cornerback Trey Caldwell (hamstring) didn’t practice.
• Cornerback Eric Patterson intercepted a pass quarterback Robert Griffin III threw behind Gordon. Later, Gordon bobbled and caught a pass from Griffin on a go route over Patterson.
• Patterson deflected a pass from Davis that safety Sean Baker intercepted.
• Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel dived to catch a pass from quarterback Josh McCown while being covered by cornerback Tracy Howard and safety Tim Scott.
• Wide receiver Josh Boyce caught a pass from Davis on a corner route against cornerback Joe Haden.
• The Browns are off Monday. They’ll travel to Tampa, Fla., for joint practices Tuesday and Wednesday.
— Nate Ulrich