NFL Rumors: Teams Don’t Appear Very Interest In Melvin Gordon At The Chargers’ High Asking Price

The Los Angeles Chargers have set their asking price for running back Melvin Gordon — a price that’s apparently too steep for the rest of the league.

Early this week, the Chargers gave up on negotiations for a new deal with their starting running back and instead have decided to consider trade offers. As Pro Football Talk reported, the team wants a first-round pick and a fifth-round pick for Gordon.

As Albert Breer of NBC Sports reported on Twitter, there isn’t a lot of interest in Gordon at that price. He noted that there was only one team even in preliminary talks with the Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles. Breer reported that the Eagles offered to send running back Jordan Howard and a swap for mid-round picks, but the Chargers weren’t interested and the talks apparently didn’t move any further from the initial offer.

Breer said that there has been little action on Gordon because teams consider the price too high for a player seen as a one-year rental who will hit free agency and could very well be gone after the upcoming season.

The Los Angeles Chargers could be willing to bend on the asking price for Gordon, however. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that the first- and fifth-round pick request could just be an opener, but added that the Chargers would be under no pressure to trade Gordon if they can’t get the right return.

“Ultimately, the Chargers can do whatever they want. They hold the cards, and they can sit and wait for Gordon to show up, get credit for the fifth year of his rookie deal, and then let him walk away as a free agent, sign him to a long-term deal, tag him, or tag him and trade him,” the report noted.

Chargers GM Tom Telesco says contract extension talks with RB Melvin Gordon "will be suspended" until after the season, per @AdamSchefter

(h/t @brgridiron) pic.twitter.com/TJaJutDFEb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 1, 2019

Whatever happens, it seems that the Chargers are tired of waiting on Melvin Gordon, who said that he would not return without a new contract.

“I’m just ready to move on — we’re playing games,” said Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn.

Did a little digging around on the Melvin Gordon trade market. To give you an idea of where it is, only offer I came across was from Philly.

In that deal, Jordan Howard would go to LA, the teams would swap mid-round picks, and the Chargers would eat salary. LA obviously said no.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 4, 2019

Even if there is no trade, the Los Angeles Chargers would not be missing Melvin Gordon for the entire season. He would need to report around mid-season in order to get credit for the final year on his rookie contract so he can hit free agency. Until then, the Chargers will reportedly consider more trade offers — though there may not be much more action if the team isn’t willing to drop the price a bit.