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Melvin Gordon is currently embroiled in a contract dispute with the Los Angeles Chargers, and while these things generally don't turn into season-long holdouts, Le'Veon Bell has taught us that it can happen.
Still, chances are, Gordon will be on the field for the Chargers in 2019, and if he wants to be paid like an elite running back, then he needs to start showing that he is one.
Gordon played in just 12 games this past season due to knee issues, finishing with 885 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry in what was, quite easily, the best year of his four-year career.
But Gordon needs to target these three numbers in order to truly elevate himself into the upper echelon of NFL running backs:
3. 16 Games
Gordon has played just one 16-game campaign during his NFL career, and if he wants to be one of the highest-paid running backs in football, he is going to have to stay healthy.
Remember, Gordon has been experiencing knee problems ever since he came into the NFL, and back in 2016, he had microfracture surgery, so you have to wonder how much longer he will hold up.
Being able to play a full season with no injury issues will go a long way in helping Gordon prove he is one of the most valuable halfbacks in football because right now, there is certainly a case against the Chargers paying him big money.
2. 1,000 Yards
Gordon has only rushed for 1,000 yards once in his career, and that came in 2017 when he totaled 1,105 yards. Perhaps not so coincidentally, that was also his only full 16-game season, and Gordon almost surely would have hit 1,000 this past year had he not missed four contests.
But Gordon should absolutely have this goal in his mind, especially given his feelings about his financial future.
Honestly, the 26-year-old does not exactly have a compelling case to make bank like the aforementioned Bell, who was a clear-cut stud during both of his standoffs with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the latter of which resulted in him missing all of 2018.
Gordon is a relatively unproven commodity, as he seems to get by on his name more than anything else.
He certainly had a terrific year this past season, but he is going to need to do it again to show that he is for real and worth a fat long-term contract.
1. 4.5 Yards Per Carry
Did you know that Gordon averaged under four yards per carry in each of his first three seasons before finally breaking through with 5.1 yards per attempt this past year?
This is exactly why I am not a fan of paying Gordon elite running back money because he hasn't shown he is one at this current juncture.
Gordon averaged 3.5, 3.9 and 3.9 yards per carry, respectively, in each of his first three seasons, which is almost like an NBA player averaging 20 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the floor and 30 percent from three-point range. It's not good.
So yes, Gordon totaled over 1,000 yards in 2017, but he did it very inefficiently, which is why his 2018 campaign was by far his best season yet and displayed that Gordon might finally be learning how to become a more effective rusher.
Gordon needs to look to average around 4.5 yards per carry in 2019 to prove that 2018 was not a fluke. He doesn't have to log five yards per attempt again, because that is actually very difficult, but there is no reason why he can't post around 4.5, especially if he is the elite running back he seems to think he is.
