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There's good news for the Los Angeles Chargers as they prepare to face the Miami Dolphins today: Melvin Gordon will be able to suit up. However, his minutes will be limited as he's still far from playing form.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Gordon's availability—potentially the first time the rusher steps on the field this season.
Two notes on #Chargers RB Melvin Gordon: 1. The plan is for him to be active but only used in an emergency. 2. #Giants WR Golden Tate worked out with him and the word is Tate is “on a mission” as he nears a return. https://t.co/N9STKFOrN6
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 29, 2019
In the article he wrote for NFL.com, Rapoport revealed how trainer Todd Durkin eased him into shape after missing out three weeks of football.
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“Although we did strength training and squats and lower-body stuff, too, my whole thing was, I needed to get his lungs in shape because he wasn't where I wanted him to be,” Durkin said this week. “If he had to play in mid-August, he wouldn't have been ready. Week 1, for instance, he was needing quite a bit of recovery between reps. We were trying to do 2-minute drives and he was feeling the ramifications. Now, we've been pushing the pace, and he's ready. He's ready.”
While Durkin confirmed that Gordon is ready to do some reps, he's far from the shape the team needs him to be in. It's likely that he'll only be getting snaps when it's a red-zone situation.
Gordon worried plenty of Chargers fans with his holdout, but his quality at running back gave him the leverage to bargain. Last year, he finished with a total of 885 rushing yards, 490 receiving yards, and 14 overall touchdowns in the 12 games he played for the Chargers.
They will be facing a Miami side that's slowly getting their act together. However, there's no reason for the Chargers to force Gordon out to the field against a weaker team like the Dolphins.
