Holding out, Gordon asks to be traded
Damarius Bilbo, the agent for Melvin Gordon, told ESPN on Thursday that he asked the Chargers last week to trade the Pro Bowl running back to a team that will give him the contract he wants.
General manager Tom Telesco responded by calling Gordon “family” but didn’t give his representatives permission to seek trading partners, meaning the two sides are back where they started — Gordon holding out from training camp and the Chargers apparently not budging on his demands.
Yahoo Sports reported that the two sides are $2 million to $3 million apart in terms of annual salary, a significant chasm.
Gordon, 26, is in the final year of his rookie contract and scheduled to make $5.6 million this season. He’s seeking something along the lines of the extension given to Cardinals running back David Johnson in September (three years, $39 million with $30 million guaranteed). The Chargers are thinking more along the lines of the five-year extension given to Falcons running back Devonta Freeman in 2017 (five years, $41.25 million with $22 million guaranteed), though they almost certainly would go a little higher than that.
Kalil back at it: Five-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil snapped out of retirement Thursday and agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Jets.
The 34-year-old Kalil, who started every game last season for the Panthers after playing just six in 2017 because of a neck injury, will need to pass a physical Friday before signing his contract.
NFL Network reported that the deal is worth $8.4 million.
Kalil spoke all last season about it being his final one as a player. He walked away from the game when his contract expired after 12 seasons — all with the Panthers.
Extortion case dropped: Prosecutors on Thursday agreed to drop an extortion charge against a family member of Tyrann Mathieu, who had sought $5 million from the Chiefs safety in an extortion attempt, as part of a plea deal, NOLA.com reported.
The charge was dropped against Geourvon Keinell Sears, 21, after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating bail when he cut off an ankle monitor while out on bond in the case.
Sears, arrested on May 1, was accused of threatening to reveal personal information about Mathieu. According to the documents from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of La., Sears allegedly ordered Mathieu in April to put $1.5 million in his bank account within a week before upping the demand to $5 million. Sears allegedly said he would contact TMZ if he didn’t receive the money.
Extra points: Former Pro Bowl K Phil Dawson retired after 20 seasons. Dawson, 44, spent his first 14 seasons with the Browns before signing with the 49ers in 2013 and then spending the last two seasons with the Cardinals . ... Jaguars rookie LB Quincy Williams, a third-round draft pick who already had secured a starting spot, will miss 4-to-6 weeks because of a torn meniscus in his right knee.