Chargers Refuse to Increase Contract Offer or Trade Melvin Gordon

Melvin Gordon has found himself in a bit of a situation as August rolls around. The Pro Bowl running back told the Chargers’ front office last month that he wanted a new contract or a trade as he entered the last year of his deal. Reports emerged later on that the Chargers were offering Gordon around $10 million a year, which on its face seems like a reasonable offer. Since that report, no news has emerged on the front, and Gordon’s absence from training camp remains glaring.

On Thursday, Gordon’s agent, Damarius Bilbo, told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that the team had refused to budge from their $10 million/year offer. That alone isn’t terribly surprising. But the team also told Bilbo that Gordon would not be traded, and refused to grant him permission to begin exploring that option, although they wouldn’t have a shortage of suitors should they decide to take the trade route.

Chargers RB Melvin Gordon's agent Damarius Bilbo tells me he requested a trade last wk for his client, after the team remained at their initial offer of aprox $10M/ year. GM Tom Telesco told Bilbo, Gordon is still family, but Bilbo was not given permission to seek trade partners.
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 1, 2019

So, if I have this right, the Chargers consider Gordon family, but if he doesn’t like their contract offer, tough luck. Sounds awfully familiar to the Steelers’ situation with Le'Veon Bell, and that marriage did not end happily.

This is the business side of football, which isn’t nearly as fun to talk about as the game itself. Gordon deserves more money, and the Chargers are within their right to refuse to trade him while under contract. The Chargers don’t exactly have a stellar reputation around the league for a variety of reasons, but both sides have legitimate cause to stand their ground here.

A situation worth keeping an eye on as training camp continues.