NFL Rumors: Los Angeles Chargers May Be Ready To Move On From Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon had an offer from the Los Angeles Chargers for $10 million per year earlier this summer, but now the running back could be getting nothing from the team.
Gordon has been holding out as he seeks a new contract from the team, reportedly asking to be paid among the top running backs in the league at between $13 million and $15 million annually. The Chargers had offered a $10 million per year deal that was rejected. With a little more than a week until the season started, the Chargers said they would be cutting off all negotiations until after the season and gave Gordon’s representation permission to seek out potential trades.
While Gordon still has to report back to the team sometime around mid-season in order to get credit for the final year of his rookie contract, the Chargers may have already moved on by then. The Fansided blog NFL Spin Zone speculated that the strong performance from Chargers running backs in the Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts may have rendered Gordon replaceable.
The report noted that Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson combined for 115 yards, with Ekeler adding two receiving touchdowns. The performance showed that the Chargers don’t need Gordon to win, the report added.
“While Ekeler and Jackson have always been a part of the offense with Gordon active, now they have a chance to truly shine,” the report said. “This is exactly why it’s time to move on.”
The report went on to note that the No. 1 running back position has lost its value in today’s pass-first NFL, with most teams opting for a running back by committee approach that the Chargers now seem to have down with Ekeler and Jackson.
As The Inquisitr noted, there were already signs that Melvin Gordon may not play for the Chargers at all this season as the running back took shots at his team on social media. Gordon also fueled the trade speculation by going on an Instagram liking spree, following a number of other teams in the days after the team announced that negotiations were off.
Melvin Gordon trying to slide up in those DMs. Just started following Eagles, Raiders, Falcons and 49ers on IG pic.twitter.com/KIxakwiLXf
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) September 2, 2019
The Los Angeles Chargers may have to bend a bit on trade demands, however. Reports noted that the team was asking for a first- and fifth-round pick in exchange for Gordon, a price many saw as too steep. It’s not clear whether the Chargers could be willing to bring down the asking price, or if any teams have shown real interest in landing Gordon.
