COSTA MESA, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said the way he feels about running back Melvin Gordon hasn’t changed, but he’s got a season opener against the Indianapolis Colts to prepare for.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Lynn said on Wednesday. “I don’t want to talk about the Melvin Gordon situation, but I love Melvin Gordon.
“We’re definitely a better team with Melvin, but he’s not here right now. My focus is on the guys that are here. I have to get these guys ready to play this team because this is a very talented team coming here on Sunday. I don’t want any distractions. I’m really focused on the men that are here.”
With the workhorse running back’s contract holdout that began at the start of training camp now extending into the regular season, Lynn and the Chargers have no choice but to move on in preparation of the Colts.
That means for now, the Chargers will lean on Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson to shoulder the load in the running game.
Gordon could report by Saturday at 4 p.m. and still get activated from the reserve/did not report list to the active roster in time to receive his Week 1 game check. However, Gordon would not play against the Colts because he has not practiced in pads and would be an injury concern for the Chargers.
That said, let’s take a look at how the Chargers and Gordon arrived here.
What are the chances Gordon plays for the Chargers this season?
Pretty good. Scheduled to make $5.605 million the final season of his rookie deal. Chargers general manager Tom Telesco announced that the team postponed negotiations with Gordon until the season is over. If Gordon chooses to report he will play under his current contract.
Gordon desires a contract extension that will compensate him among the top running backs in the league like Todd Gurley, David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell, who earn an average of $13 to $14 million annually.
The Chargers have offered Gordon a new contract that doubles his salary at roughly $10 million annually — so far that hasn’t been enough to get Gordon to report.
Gordon likely will sit and wait to see if his leverage in negotiations changes during the season, depending on the Chargers’ record or injuries at his position.
If all that fails, the NFL’s constitution and bylaws state that players on the Reserve/Did Not Report List are “prohibited from being reinstated in the last 30 days of the regular season.”
If Gordon wants to play this year he would have to report no later than Nov. 29 (31 days before the end of the regular season).
Gordon also needs to report by then to earn credit for this season so he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2020. However, the Chargers can still place the franchise tag on Gordon next season and could control his rights for the next two years.
Who are the teams that would be willing to trade for him?
The Chargers gave Gordon’s representation permission to seek a trade. According to ESPN Insider Josina Anderson, an unidentified team made an initial inquiry with the Chargers to see how much draft capital the Chargers would seek in a trade, and the Bolts responding with at first-round selection plus more.
Albert Breer of The MMQB reported the team was the Philadelphia Eagles. That draft capital plus a contract extension that would pay Gordon among the top running backs in the NFL would be a steep price to pay.
The Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers also could use help at running back, but the Chargers appear content to wait Gordon out and use him down the stretch for a potential playoff run.
Will the Chargers miss Gordon’s production?
The Chargers finished 4-0 without Gordon last year. However, the Bolts were more effective running the ball with Gordon available than without him.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Chargers averaged 128 rushing yards a contest with Gordon last season and 84 yards a game without him.
With Gordon out, the Chargers likely will lean on Philip Rivers and a talented group of pass-catchers that include Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry and Travis Benjamin.
The Bolts will also need a talented defense to take the ball away more, limiting the possessions of their opponents on game day.
“I don’t know any other way to say it other than when it gets to this point right here, it’s all eyes on Indy,” Rivers said. “Our guys finding a way to go win one game and then doing that week-by-week.
“Whether you’re dealing with an injury or something like this, when it gets to this [point of the year], it’s who do we have that will be suited up and how do we find a way. I think that’s the only way to go about it.”