Melvin Gordon will continue to “protect himself” with his holdout, but he “still wants to be a Charger,” a source tells ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). This won’t be a “Le’Veon Bell situation,” the source added, so we can still expect to see Gordon back on the field at some point in 2019. 
At this stage, a mid-season or early November return is looking likely, Fowler hears. In the interim, Gordon figures to play on the $5.6MM fifth-year option of his deal, though he’ll be docked 1/17th for each week he misses. So far, he’s down about $660K for Weeks 1 and 2.
Gordon surely wants to play football, but he has other reasons for wanting to get back on the gridiron. Namely – he must report before Week 10 in order to qualify for free agency next season.
Earlier this month, the Eagles expressed interest in Gordon and gave the Bolts a lowball offer for the ages. In theory, the Chargers could still trade the touchdown machine, but for now, they seem willing to wait things out. Here’s what we do know – the Chargers are unwilling to give Gordon an extension in 2019.
For now, Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson will share backfield duties in L.A.
If he “wants to play for the Chargers”, he should simply honor the contract he agreed to.
Or the chargers could quit being cheapskates and pay the man his worth. He has beyond outplayed that rookie contract.
I think $10 million a year is fair for this injury prone running back.
Apparently he doesn’t agree with you.
And so he sits, making nothing, only to ultimately return and play for way less. All the while, him sitting while the other two backs put up solid numbers only shows the team he isn’t really needed and makes other teams wonder if he’s any good or if it’s just the system he plays in.
He also doesn’t risk injury ensuring he will get to that 2nd contract where he will be paid his worth. And no, much like Bell, there will be plenty of teams willing to pay him next year.
It’s not about the money on the contract he is making! he is sitting to make more! if he is hurt being overused he will make nothing in FA!
Smart Man
He’ll play eventually and a few weeks later he’ll be out because of an injury. Charger fans have seen it year after year. He’s soft like Verrett was/is.
It’s not about the money he’s making,but it is about making more money……huh?
Difference between him and Bell,is that Bell actually made it to free agency 1st.Gurley and Johnson both got paid after 2000yd-20td seasons.Elliott has suspensions, sure,but he averages about 30 more yds a game than Gordon.
He might be closer to those 4 in fantasy football,but his numbers are more as comparable to Lamar Miller,as they are to those 4.
@afsooner02 lol pay him what he is worth? You mean the 3 years of bellow average production for the position or the one anomaly of a season he had last year? So far he hasn’t done much to elicit a sense that he can repeat last year. Chargers are very smart to not overpay an overrated player.
He’s getting paid nothing now. Tried to get a trade and no one was interested. He’s a bum
Well…. he clearly hasn’t outplayed the rookie contract…. especially since the rookie contract hasn’t even completed yet
He has not outplayed his rookie contact! if he had he would be a free agent!
And do you think that overpaid players due to laxing when they get that contract they seek would give their money back? Works both ways…
This take is bad. If this was a free agent contract he signed sure you can make that case. Not for a rookie deal all players are forced to sign. He gave them enough to be playing on more insurance than a 5th year option
Especially for a running back. They get the worst deal of all players coming into the league. Everyone’s desire to side with billionaires over millionaires on this always baffles me.
Not to mention if he would get tagged next year too. He’s doing this now to get the inevitable franchise tag holdout out of the way.
He chose to sign the contract, not forced to do anything.
He had no choice where he was employed or how much he made.
Get rid of the draft and then we’ll see how much players get paid coming out college.
I’m pretty sure no one forced him to sign that rookie contract. This is like teachers complaining about their pay . . . and before anyone freaks out, I’m a teacher. I knew what I was getting into. I chose to do it anyway. If I don’t like the circumstances it’s no one’s fault but my own.
Not true!
Anyone who says “he was not forced to sign anything” to a rookie contract doesn’t know how football works. Not signing the rookie deal is not an option. Holding out in the 5th year is perfectly acceptable and reasonable. Guess people love to support the billionaires
This isn’t about supporting billionaires. Gordon’s track record is questionable and his ask is too high. I think guys like Elliott and LeVeon deserved their contract. If Gordon was Barkley I’d hope the Chargers would give him a blank check. Charger fans just want to avoid a potential bad contract and use that money to fix the o-line or run defense.
Bad take lol? You mean the system the players agree to and stick too? The Running back position is easily the most overrated position in the sport and production can be replaced at a fraction of the cost. See how well chargers did last week at rb without melvin? A running back who’s career average is barely 4.0 yards per carry? 4.2 is average and he only surpassed that last year….either way chargers win they offered him 10.5 million per for 4 years and he turned them down. Sorry to inform Melvin he isn’t top five in the league, maybe not even top 10 for his position and worth around that. While some of you seem to think he will sign for more lets see next year when he signs for close to 10 million per year x 4 years. Massively overrated and chargers are seeing first hand that they don’t need him.
He didn’t actually agree to it. He was drafted by a team he didn’t choose and had to take the contract that coordinated with his draft position or he couldn’t play.
Cba agreement agreed to by players says otherwise. 3.5 yards per carry for 3 years in below average.
I agree!
He ask for a raise. They offered him more $$$ and he simply overvalued himself. I hope he doesn’t play a down this year and gets a taste of the real life.
Don’t wish that evil on my fantasy team
Holdouts are the only leverage a player has. Just like teams can cut them in the middle of a contract. So to say he should honor his contract is ignorant. The dumb rules of the NFL and the layer contracts make this the only option for Gordon if he thinks he’s worth more than the extension they’ve offered.
Chargers should just trade him at this point. Get something for him because he’s leaving at the years end.
Ekeler has been really good so they can go with him as the #1 which is what they will be doing for the next 7 weeks anyway.
I love it. They sign a contract they like getting out of the draft. It works for the team and works for the unknown nfl skilled player. The team is the boss. In any job, if u stink or can’t preform the tasks agreed upon, you are terminated. But if you are unhappy with your contract and ask your boss for a raise and don’t get one, and then you don’t go to work because of it, why should anyone feel sorry for you. You agreed to a contract. A contract is a contract. Get over yourself, make that contract mean something and honor what you signed your name to. Then, when you gain intelligence and maturity, you can eventually become the boss possibly some day and you can run your team and business into the ground by giving arrogant above average workers all the money they want even after histories of showing risks in there performance and increased likelihood of slowed work and or poor work.
Yes he can do what he thinks is best for himself, but so can the team, the business owners who are also looking out for hundreds of other employees, not just one selfish let down of a player.
Plus, the longer he sits out, to greater the injury risk on return. It’s proven over and over and over again. Players are actually more prone to injury when they are not involved in the sport and jump back into it. Look at the very latest example of me glass, L Bell and the Jets. He wasn’t even touched in preseason after sitting out a selfish year, and he shatters in his first game back.
Honor the contract Gordon. You are the employee. Not the boss.
By this logic, if you went to your employer asking for a raise and got shot down, you would simply say, “Oh, well. I tried” and go back to work with no hard feelings? You wouldn’t feel disrespected or maybe even update your resume and look for new offers?
You must just be the greatest, most loyal, employee ever. Kudos!
If you sign a contract that is your agreement legally to that amount. No other argument.
And how would it be if an employer can just say, you know what I don’t think your worth your contract so I’m going to pay you 50% less from now on. Doesn’t work that way and shouldn’t work the other. Contracts are contracts. Team or business can cut or fire you fine. Then you can “seek your worth on the open market”. Otherwise u legally agreed to work the number of years for the salary agreed upon. Where is there an argument in this.
When he comes back the Chargers should just let him sit on the bench. It’s obvious that the only reason he’s coming back is to get closer to free agency.. His heart will not be in it so how hard will he play? Plus, it would take him a couple weeks to get in playing shape before they even put him in a game anyway so it’s pretty much a wasted season. Either trade him or just let them sit on the bench.
Seemed futile since they can just tag him after this year anyway.
I have zero sympathy for NFL players that hold out for more money. The average career for RB’s in the NFL is 2.57 years. The average annual salary for an NFL running back is $4 million per year. The median household income in the United States right now is $61,372 per year. That means it would take 167.5 years to make what an average NFL running back averages in 2 1/2 years to play a damn game. I completely understand wanting to maximize your earnings, but why are some people so quick to defend people they have absolutely nothing in common with, I.e. millionaires? This is why most people can’t afford to go to an NFL game.
…..just for more money!
I don’t understand why people hate on billionaires so much. They usually create thousands and thousands of jobs. Why people are so jealous makes no sense to me.
If they offered him 10M, its above the Franchise Tag. He wants like 14M. Incentives are the way to go here. If he really thinks yes the best back in the league… .5M for >1000 yards, .5M >1300 yards, .5M > 10TD, .5M >14 TDs, .5M > 5.0 YPC, .5M >=15 Games played.
Attainable for the best running back in the league.
The thing that gets me is he acts like he can’t live on $10 million for the rest of his life. Sheesh