Melvin Gordon will finally be leaving the Los Angeles Chargers after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Gordon has agreed to a two-year contract worth $16 million with $13.5 million guaranteed.
The two-time Pro Bowler requested a trade last July as the Chargers and his representatives were unable to strike a long-term deal heading into the last year of his rookie contract. Gordon held out for the first four games of the 2019 season as a result.
Gordon maintained all along that he would have liked to reach an agreement with the Chargers moving forward, but it just didn’t work out.
“They drafted me and changed my life. They took a bet on me. Took a chance on me when 31 other teams could have and passed me up. They’re like your first love so to speak. I want to be here, man. I got great relationships with everybody around here. I love everyone from [the locker room] to the people on the staff, in the training room, to the equipment guys. I got a relationship with everybody around here, not just the guys in here. Hopefully, we can work it out. But like I know, like y’all know, like everybody else knows, it’s a business and we got to figure out where things go. I’m just really sitting back, man. I’m open to this whole thing and I’m a little nervous, as everybody is whose contract is up. Hopefully, it works out for the best.” Gordon told reporters in July.
Austin Ekeler, who signed an extension with Los Angeles this offseason, undertook an extended role in the backfield during and after Gordon’s absence in 2019 for the Chargers.
Gordon believes that the injuries that have plagued his career are not telling the full story.
“I got great years kind of taken from me. Going 997 [rushing yards] with like three or four games left. Having that stellar season last year and then being taken away, trying to come back with two braces. It could have been a lot better, but I’m not hanging my head down towards what I’ve done thus far.”
The 26-year-old currently sits fourth all-time in career rushing yards (4240) and touchdowns (36) with the Chargers.
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