Melvin Gordon’s agent said earlier this month that the star running back is willing to miss regular season games if he does not get a new contract before Week 1, and that may have been more than just an empty threat.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday that Gordon’s holdout is expected to be “prolonged” and could carry into the regular season. While he and the Chargers have exchanged contract proposals recently, it does not appear the two sides have gotten anywhere close to a deal.
Gordon, who is scheduled to earn $5.6 million in the final year of his rookie contract, informed the Chargers recently that he wants to be traded if they are not going to sign him to a long-term extension. Chargers GM Tom Telesco said this week that he understands Gordon’s stance and that there is no bad blood between the team and the Pro Bowl running back.
The Chargers seem to be willing to call Gordon’s bluff, and they have most of the leverage in the situation. The only thing Gordon can do is sit out regular season games, but that would cost him a lot of money. He can be fined up to $40,000 per day for every day of training camp he misses, plus he won’t collect any game checks if he doesn’t report by Week 1.
Gordon totaled 1,375 yards from scrimmage last season and scored 14 touchdowns in just 12 games. He’s also battled some knee injuries and is 26, so you can understand why he wants long-term financial security as soon as possible.
