Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon won’t be getting a new contract in 2019, at least not from the Chargers. Chargers’ general manager Tom Telesco told reporters on Sunday that they are halting the contract talks with Gordon and won’t revisit them until the end of the season.
“When or if Melvin reports, he’ll play this season under his current contract, and we’ll just revisit it after the season,” – said Telesco in a conference call.
Gordon, who is set to earn $5.6 million in 2019, has been asking for a new deal for the entire offseason, and decided to skip the team’s preseason activities and training camp in order to get what he wanted. Chargers were willing to give him a contract extension reportedly worth $10 million per year, but the player refused as he is asking for a deal that would make him among the top paid RBs in the game.
With Melvin Gordon not showing signs that he is going to join the team or come down from his demands anytime soon, the Chargers decided to play hardball and even allowed his agent to explore trade options for the 26-year-old.
“I’m disappointed it has lasted this long. I pride myself in having solutions to problems, and I haven’t solved this one yet,” – Telesco added. “We know what he means to our team, and even bigger than that what he means to our organization. But the other side is we have a big game coming up this week with the Colts, and I’m confident in the players that we have on the field right now will play well.”
Gordon was one of the most productive Chargers’ players last year despite playing just 12 games. He rushed for 885 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also recording 50 receptions for 490 yards and four touchdowns.
