As Denver Broncos RB Melvin Gordon reaches the end of his two-year contract, where are his potential landing spots this offseason? Let’s take a look at which teams might be interested in acquiring Gordon in free agency.
Melvin Gordon landing spots
While Javonte Williams has not stolen the RB role outright from Gordon, the 50-50 split they had through the first 12 weeks of the year suggests that Gordon will be looking for a new franchise this offseason. The Broncos are unlikely to re-up Gordon’s contract when they have a young back in Williams who has essentially matched him stride for stride.
The intriguing part of the offseason will be to see how teams value Gordon — and how the RB values himself. Will he be willing to take a reduced contract somewhere, or could he potentially look to hold out for big money? Which teams might be willing to step up and sign Gordon this offseason?
The Buffalo Bills need an upgrade in their run game
The RB situation in Buffalo has been a mess this season. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll clearly does not seem to trust putting the ball in the hands of Devin Singletary or Zack Moss on a regular basis. They have looked for a spark in the form of Matt Breida, but he is not likely to be considered a lead back.
Therefore, acquiring Gordon could be ideal for the Bills this offseason. On the contrary, they have other areas to address on their roster and are not projected to have a lot of cap space in 2022. That may make Gordon a luxury signing. Still, if the price is right, he could be an intriguing fit in Buffalo’s offense.
Could the Buccaneers sign Gordon to replace Leonard Fournette?
Gordon feels like a great fit in Tampa Bay if the Buccaneers decide not to keep Leonard Fournette around this offseason. Gordon could contribute in both the rushing and receiving game for the Buccaneers. He would be an ideal replacement for the skill set of Fournette, especially with recent draft picks at the position not panning out how Tampa Bay hoped.
Gordon would give Tom Brady a reliable back that he can trust. Gordon is an experienced pass blocker, who can also go out and make plays in the passing game. He has the potential to be a three-down back for the Buccaneers.
A trip to the Miami Dolphins is an option for Gordon
The Dolphins’ run game has been a mess for a while now. They have tried plenty of options, including Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, Malcolm Brown, and the recently-added Phillip Lindsay. However, Brown and Lindsay will be free agents next year, and Gaskin has been unconvincing.
Therefore, the Dolphins may look to the veteran free-agent market this offseason. While Gaskin has been effective at times in the passing game, Gordon has the ability to contribute there as well. The Dolphins also have plenty of cap space. And while there may be bigger needs elsewhere, they could add Gordon and still have resources remaining. He would be a nice addition, whether alongside Deshaun Watson or Tua Tagovailoa.
The Arizona Cardinals are an intriguing potential destination
This may seem like a somewhat surprising potential landing spot for Gordon, but the situation could play out quite nicely. Chase Edmonds and James Conner are set to be free agents, and both may be searching for big money contracts.
Arizona might choose to let them walk and turn to another veteran to lead their backfield. The Cardinals could then point to the way Conner revitalized his career in Arizona to convince Gordon to sign with them, even on just a one-year prove-it type deal.
Could a potential reunion between Gordon and the Chargers be in play?
Los Angeles has never found a real partner for Austin Ekeler in the backfield since Gordon left. That would put a potential reunion between the Chargers and Gordon on the table this offseason. The issue might be managing the playing time of the two backs. While Ekeler should not be a bell-cow back, he will likely not want to take a backseat to his former backfield partner.
Nevertheless, if the Chargers can find a way to make it work, Gordon would make this a very potent offense. Additionally, cap space is not an issue. Thus, the Chargers would be able to pay up compared to some other RB-needy teams who might be tight with the purse strings.