Melvin Gordon reported mandatory minicamp this week, and the Los Angeles Chargers running back hopes another step in the offseason is a new contract.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t need a deal done,” Gordon said Tuesday, through ESPN’s Eric Williams. “But that’s not going to stop me from coming out here and doing everything I need to do. We are going to see. I would love to go out there and have it done. We are talking at the moment, and that is sort of where I will leave it.”
Gordon eschewed voluntary offseason work this year. He reported to minicamp this week but wouldn’t discount the possibility that he might hold out of training camp or even farther into 2019 when a deal isn’t struck.
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“I don’t understand, man,” Gordon said. “I am just trying to not talk about it. It is going to happen, When it’s going to happen. As it does, I am pretty sure you guys will know.”
The 26-year-old former first-round pick is slated to earn $5.6 million at the final year of his rookie contract.
Gordon proved his value to the Chargers after completing the 2018 campaign obviously hindered by knee issues. L.A. was not the exact same bruising offense with no running back in full capability. Oddly, accidents at such a grinding posture are common, which might lead the Chargers brass to balk at paying a back big dinero. They need only look to their city-mates, the Rams, and Todd Gurley’s situation to potentially acquire cold feet about paying back a running.
“It’s a problem with everybody else,” Gordon explained. “However, I know my value. I understand what I bring to the group, and I’m sticking with this. Todd’s paid, therefore Todd don’t care what anyone says — him or David Johnson — they can say what they would like to say. They signed the dotted line.
“But unfortunately I haven’t yet, so I have to take the heat for some of the things that they’re going through. But I am not them, and like I stated, I understand my value”
There is no question the Chargers worth Gordon’s play. The question is if the sides may agree to fair compensation that appeases both parties prior to the beginning of the season.
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