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Running back Melvin Gordon is still a free agent due to a confluence of different factors. Perhaps the most glaring is the ‘soft' market for the running back position.
According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, there's a soft market for running backs in the NFL. As such, it's not just Gordon — a two-time Pro-Bowl running back— who's struggling to land a contract. Be as it may, Gordon is patiently waiting for the right offer to arrive. As transcribed by Garrett Steipen of 247 Sports:
“It's a similar situation at running back right now — it's been very slow going for running backs so far in free agency,” Schefter said on ESPN's noon edition of SportsCenter. “Melvin Gordon is still on the street, still without a job and the running back market is very soft out there. So Melvin Gordon is looking for the right spot. We'll see if he can find one. It's not been easy so far.”
In five seasons with the Chargers, the 26-year-old showcased how potent of a threat he is from the backfield. In 67 games (63 starts), Gordon has 1,059 carries for 4,240 yards (4.0 per carry) and 36 touchdowns with 224 receptions for 1,873 yards and 11 touchdowns.
A closer look, however, reveal some durability issues — a common theme among running backs. Last season, his yards per carry average dipped from 5.1 to 3.8. This was due to several lower body issues which have since bothered him since entering the NFL in 2o16.
To recall, Gordon staged a holdout in 2019 in an effort to receive a heftier contract. But his efforts fell on deaf ears as the Chargers did not budge. Time can only tell what the future holds for the running back. All he can do now is hope for the best.
