Getty Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon.
Training camp has arrived, but Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon has not. It has come to light that Gordon is unhappy about his contract situation and is going to holdout until it’s resolved. Gordon is entering the fifth and final year of his contract and only stands to make $5.6 million. For one of the top running backs in the AFC, that’s a pretty low fee for the Chargers. Gordon has been the bell cow for the Chargers over the last few years and he’s looking to secure some money over the long term.
The two-time pro bowler was forced to miss four games due to an MCL injury just last season, so it makes sense why he wants something long term. Running backs don’t have the longest shelf life in the NFL. It’s not uncommon for the NFL’s tops backs to holdout until they get the right contract. Just ask Le’Veon Bell. Gordon is just 26 years old but has already battled a few injuries in his short career. Also, Gordon has been good but he hasn’t been Le’Veon Bell or Ezekiel Elliott good. This could become a long, messy process for Gordon and the Chargers as the running back has already shown that he’s not interested in staying quiet.
Melvin Gordon Unfollows Chargers on Instagram
In the social media age, the ultimate shade move a player can throw at their team is to unfollow them. ChargersLegion on Twitter caught that Gordon has recently unfollowed the team on Instagram while he holds out.
While Gordon unfollowing his team on Instagram hardly means that the relationship is over, it is an indication that he’s not totally happy with the team. He also posted a picture of himself on his account that was just captioned “…. welp.” Could just be a coincidence, but could also be an indicator that contracts negotiations aren’t going well.
It’s anybody’s guess as to what could be the next steps for Gordon, but him trying to force his way out in a trade could be possible. However, the Chargers probably won’t be too keen on trading their star running back who they have under contract. That being said, a team in need of a running back could make them an offer they can’t refuse.
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Potential Trade Suitors for Gordon
The return the Chargers could receive for Gordon will depend on how badly a team needs a running back. Teams are apprehensive to invest heavily in running backs, so the Chargers probably won’t be too excited about many offers. The Kanas City Chiefs would probably be interested because Kareen Hunt is no longer with the team. However, it’s highly unlikely the Chargers would want to trade Gordon to a division rival. The Philidelphia Eagles just brought back Darren Sproles, but he’s old at this point. Jordan Howard hasn’t been able to replicate early career success in recent years. Perhaps the Eagles could go all out and bring in Gordon in an effort to make another Super Bowl push in 2019.
The Chicago Bears are another team that’s got Super Bowl aspirations in 2019 that didn’t have great success on the ground last season. The Bears are still trying to see what they have in quarterback Mitch Trubisky and a top running back like Gordon could go a long way in helping develop the young quarterback. That being said, the Bears don’t have a lot of draft capital to play with because of last year’s Khalil Mack trade, but they could probably put something together to pull it off.
There are likely a large number of teams that could be interested in acquiring Gordon’s services. The Chargers invested a first-round pick into Gordon when they drafted him, so they’ll probably want that in return. It’s going to be hard for a team to offer that much for a running back, but if this holdout leaks into the season, the Chargers will have more leverage as injuries happen and needs become more obvious.
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