Even Melvin Gordon knows the Pittsburgh Steelers put their fans on an emotional roller coaster from the beginning of the season until the bitter end. The first three weeks saw Pittsburgh start 0-3 and lose Ben Roethlisberger for the season. They were expecting a poor season from the start. That was not the case.
Pittsburgh rallied around one of the best coaches in the league and won eight of their next 10 games. Heading into Week 15, the Steelers were the sixth seed in the AFC and the roller coaster was at it's highest point. It came crashing down quickly, something Melvin Gordon is aware of.
The Steelers lost their final three games including an embarrassing loss to the New York Jets. So now the Steelers head into the offseason with no first round pick, minimal weapons on offense, and certainly no quarterback.
Mason Rudolph is not the answer and Devlin Hodges was fun, but let's be real. Juju Smith-Schuster had a miserable year in his first as the Steelers' No. 1 receiver and James Conner was never on the field. Pittsburgh could use an elite running back on their team to make their offense a threat.
Enter Melvin Gordon
Article Continues BelowGordon was viewed as one of the top running backs in the game heading into the season. That progress was hindered when he held out for a new contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. He eventually returned to action and split time with Austin Ekeler. There is no doubt that Melvin Gordon is an every down back.
The Steelers have history with star running backs. Pittsburgh offered Le'Veon Bell a five-year deal worth $70 million. He turned it down and is now suffering with the Jets. Gordon will not be asking for that kind of money. Reportedly, he was seeking a contract that will pay him $13 million a year. This is a deal that would make sense for both sides. Melvin Gordon is also one year younger than Bell.
Pittsburgh's defense was extremely tough this season. They have multiple pieces for the future but they need to get their offense to that level. For the Steelers, the most important thing is figuring out their quarterback situation for 2020. If they can straighten that out and sign Melvin Gordon, they are immediately a better team.
Melvin Gordon is a player who will take pressure off everyone else. He can be used effectively in the passing game which gives opposing defenses another option to worry about. Right now, the Steelers are pretty mediocre on offense. Signing Gordon would change that narrative right away.