Report: Melvin Gordon Agrees to Two-Year, $16 Million Deal With Broncos
Two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon has agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the Broncos, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
His deal with Denver includes $13.5 million guaranteed, according to Rapoport. Gordon reportedly received "a better offer from another team" but liked the appeal of staying in the AFC West–the same division the Chargers, his former team, plays in.
Gordon, the No. 15 pick by the Chargers in the 2015 NFL draft, spent his first five NFL seasons with the organization and was looking for a new contract heading into last season.
The Wisconsin product held out last year and missed the first four weeks of the regular season before finally returning to the team.
Gordon, 26, is coming off a nine-touchdown season for Los Angeles, but he recorded a career-low 612 rushing yards. He added just 296 receiving yards, his lowest total since his rookie season.
In his place, running back Austin Ekeler starred for the Chargers. Ekeler finished the year first among running backs with eight receiving touchdowns and ranked second with 92 catches last season. His 993 receiving yards were the second-most by a running back in a single season in team history, and he added a career-high 557 yards on the ground.
Ekeler reportedly signed a four-year, $24.5 million deal this offseason with the Chargers.
Despite failing to appear in the Pro Bowl in 2017, Gordon totaled nearly 1,600 scrimmage yards that season, the most in his NFL career. Gordon has rushed for more than 1,000 yards just once in his career, though he did rush for 997 yards in 2016.
Last season, the Broncos went 7–9 and finished second in the AFC West.