Gordon says no pay, no play
Chargers’ top back is discouraged by lack of progress in talks with team for an extension.
Star Chargers running back says he won’t report to training camp without a new deal.
Discouraged by his contract situation, running back Melvin Gordon has told the Chargers he will not report to training camp and will instead demand a trade unless he receives a new deal.
Gordon’s agent, Fletcher Smith, has confirmed that his client is prepared to remain away from the team if necessary when the Chargers report to Costa Mesa in two weeks.
The sides have been discussing an extension, but the lack of progress led to the running back toughening his stance this week.
Gordon, who is scheduled to make $5.6 million this season, is in the final year of the deal he signed with the Chargers after they drafted him 15th overall in 2015.
He skipped the team’s voluntary offseason program before reporting to minicamp last month.
At that time, Gordon indicated that his concerns about his contract situation were mounting.
“I would love to have it done so I don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “I could just come in and work and do what I need to do. I don’t want any problems or anything like that.”
In 2018, Gordon rushed 175 times for 885 yards and caught 50 passes for 490 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. But he also missed four games because of injuries.
He’s a two-time Pro Bowl player and regarded as one of the Chargers’ primary offensive threats.
Among the NFL’s other top running backs, Todd Gurley, David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell each recently received a new deal. Based on total value, all three of those contracts have an annual average salary of at least $13 million.
Gordon last month said running backs were “definitely devalued” and said he understood that injuries at the position were causing teams to rethink how much they wanted to invest in ballcarriers.
“I know my value and I know what I bring to the team,” he said. “I’m sticking with that.”
Behind Gordon, the Chargers have Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson and Detrez Newsome. They were 4-0 last season in the games Gordon missed.