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So, Melvin Gordon wants a big bag of money to stay with the Los Angeles Chargers, and if he doesn’t get it, he won’t report to training camp and request to be traded, as reported by Adam Schefter.
Gordon, 26, is one of the top running backs in the NFL and is heading in to the last year of his contract, in which he will pick up $5.6 million.
With new deals being received by Gordon’s peers, namely Todd Gurley, Le’Veon Bell, and David Johnson, it’s no surprise that Gordon wants to be getting what they’re getting, and as he’s in the last year of his deal, it’s no surprise that he’s taking a Bell-like stance.
After all, the running back position is not only one of the most important, but also one of the most dangerous positions to play, and with no guarantee on his future, it’s fair that he will want guaranteed money in case he goes down with an injury. I can’t say I disagree with him taking this stance all things considered.
His agent did state that this was not a stance they wanted to take, but they are getting frustrated due to protracted negotiations, and disappointed at some of the Chargers’ offers.
The two-time Pro Bowler had 14 touchdowns last year with an average of 5.1 yards per carry, which is fantastic, and if the Chargers decide to shop him, some teams would be very interested in taking him off their hands and paying him. But which ones?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Despite coach Bruce Arians saying that Peyton Barber is “the type of back I want to develop”, you can’t imagine them passing up on an elite veteran back like Melvin Gordon.
They’ve not has a 1,000 yard running back season since 2015, the most being Barber with 871. The Buccs need all the help they can get heading into the new season, and signing a calibre of player like Melvin Gordon could be a statement of Arians’ intent to put them back on the footballing map.
Houston Texans
Lamar Miller is a good back. He goes about his business, gets zero credit for it, and just proceeds to chug along at a nice consistent pace, but is he Melvin Gordon? No, he’s not.
The real crux is that Lamar Miller two years Gordon’s senior, is out of contract at the end of the coming season, and it won’t cost them the Earth to cut ties with him.
On top of that, Houston’s offensive line is beyond bad, and Melvin Gordon is an upgrade on Lamar Miller in the fact that he’s a tricky runner that breaks tackles and eludes onrushing defenders. If you add Melvin Gordon to an offence including dynamic players such as DeShaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins, you’re on to a winner.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are bad, and I expect them to tank this year in order to draft a quarterback next year because Josh Rosen (which I wrote about before) and Ryan Fitzpatrick are not long term solutions to the problem in a team looking to return to the glories of their past.
A team in rebuild mode could use a player like Melvin Gordon as a starting block to build on. Grab Gordon this year and pay him, then grab your new rookie quarterback next year (likely Tua Tagovailoa) and build out from there. With Adam Gase now across the division in New York, and Brian Flores at the head determined to bring his own mentality and success, a player like Gordon could really make a difference in the coming years, after all, it’s no secret that people question Kenyan Drake‘s ability, and much the same as the others I’ve mentioned; he’s not on Gordon’s level.
Kansas City Chiefs
This is the deal I would like to happen. Damien Williams has been solid enough since the Chiefs cut ties with Kareem Hunt, but a dynamic and powerful runner like Gordon would slot right in and upgrade the offense significantly. Melvin Gordon taking Damien Williams’ position in the backfield in an Andy Reid offence with Pat Mahomes, Tyreek Hill (sans ban), Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins, and this year’s rookie pick Mecole Hardman? That is a really scary proposition, and I think they’d run riot over every defence in the AFC.
Buffalo Bills
The Elba of American football. The cold and snowy climes of Buffalo. The place no one wants to go. If you disrespect your team, they’ll look to ship you off to Buffalo.
It’s not a bad thing for Buffalo, who have bizarrely decided to head in to the new season with a declining 30-year-old LeSean McCoy, and the indestructible 476-year-old Frank Gore. Adding someone with a lot more in the tank and legs than those two would be a major boost for Josh Allen and his not-so-great supporting cast heading in to his second year.
Either way, I hope he gets paid. He deserves it, and I’d hate to see him go down hurt before getting said bag of money.
