Top Landing Spots For Melvin Gordon

The Denver Broncos released RB Melvin Gordon on Monday after a season full of struggles for the veteran back. Gordon fumbled for the fifth time this season in the loss to the Raiders, and it appeared to be the final straw for the team. 

However, there are enough other teams in need of a veteran presence at running back that Gordon should not be out of work long. It’s even possible he’s claimed tomorrow, as veteran players are subject to waivers in the second half of the season. 

Gordon is owed roughly $885,000 for the duration of the 2022 season, which is the remainder of his initial $2.15 million base salary prorated over the rest of the season. Any team that claims him would pick up that tab. 

There are five teams that stick out as potential landing spots for Gordon, either via waiver claim or signing:

Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks already took a hit to their depth at running back this season when they lost starter Rashaad Penny to a torn ACL. That’s opened the door for sensational second-round RB Kenneth Walker but the depth behind him is still thin. The Seahawks have DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer, both of whom are primarily special teamers and might be out of their depth if asked to carry the load on offense. 

For a team as reliant on the run game as Seattle, shaky depth at running back is an issue. Gordon wouldn’t take work from Walker but he would provide some insurance as someone capable of being the lead back should Walker miss time. 

Ravens

Once again the Ravens have had to manage without the tandem of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards for most of the season, as the two haven’t had an easy return from the major knee injuries that ended their 2021 seasons. It’s been the Kenyan Drake show in the backfield for the most part, and while Drake has had some big games, his inconsistency is one of a number of things hurting the Ravens offense. 

Gordon hasn’t played much better but the hope is a fresh start would give him a spark at this stage in his career. And it’s also worth pointing out he had a visit with the Ravens this summer when he was a free agent before ultimately electing to return to Denver. 

Perhaps Baltimore is content with Drake holding things down and teaming up with Edwards when he returns and potentially Dobbins if he can make it back. However, the Ravens are one of the teams most reliant on the run game right now. That makes depth extra important, and why Baltimore could be intrigued by adding Gordon and putting another layer in the backfield.  

Rams

A return to Los Angeles could very much be in play for Gordon, who started his career with the crosstown Chargers. The Rams have had one of the worst running games in football in 2022, and while a lot of that can be traced back to an injury-riddled offensive line, the backfield has performed below expectations as well.

Neither Darrell Henderson nor Cam Akers has seized control here. They’ve been so uninspiring that the Rams have been hyping up fifth-round RB Kyren Williams as a potential major contributor. It’s not like Gordon is coming in on a high either, but in terms of total career resume, he would easily be the most established back on the team if the Rams brought him in. 

Jaguars

Jacksonville turned to fifth-round RB Snoop Conner and preseason waiver claim RB JaMycal Hasty as the primary backups to starting RB Travis Etienne after trading RB James Robinson. Neither has played much as the Jaguars have just put more on Etienne’s plate. Gordon would be a big upgrade at a pretty cheap cost. 

If nothing else, Gordon would be insurance for Etienne should he go down. However, the Jaguars could also use Gordon in more of a backfield split with Etienne if they’re worried about grinding him down too much. That’s just not an option with Conner and Hasty right now, the talent difference is too stark. 

Eagles

The Eagles have sniffed around a number of running backs in the past several weeks and have shown a willingness to aggressively shore up perceived weak spots on the roster. So while they don’t necessarily have a huge need, Philadelphia shouldn’t be ruled out as a potential Gordon landing spot. 

The offense isn’t nearly as run-heavy as it was last year and they have four backs on the active roster — Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott and Trey Sermon. Sanders gets the bulk of the work with Gainwell and Scott mixing in for a couple of series each. Sermon has mostly been a healthy scratch after being claimed off waivers from the 49ers at the beginning of the season. 

Seems like there’s no room for Gordon. But if Sanders were to go down, neither Gainwell nor Scott profile as a replacement lead back. Sermon might, but if you’re a Super Bowl-contending team, do you really want to entrust your backfield to him?

Gordon has the experience coaches love, and it’s worth pointing out that this coaching staff in particular has a lot of experience with Gordon. Both HC Nick Sirianni and OC Shane Steichen were on staff with the Chargers for Gordon’s first few seasons. 

Other teams to watch could include the Cardinals, Bears and Giants.