If Chargers running back Melvin Gordon had any chance of avoiding free agency before, there’s now no going back. The former 1st-round selection is all but guaranteed to hit the market in the aftermath of the Chargers extending his backup, Austin Ekeler, to a four-year contract extension this week. The signing of Ekeler is a bit of a surprise — but it was also spurred on in a cruel twist of irony.
Ekeler shined this season in Los Angeles thanks in large part to the holdout of Melvin Gordon, who was hoping to prompt a new contract out of the Chargers for himself. Instead, he got one for Ekeler.
Chargers’ RB Austin Ekeler is 24 years old and with his new four-year deal, he is now scheduled to become a free agent again after the 2023 season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 6, 2020
So now Gordon will forge forward into free agency and likely find himself a new team to call home. Should it be the Dolphins? Miami fans should be ready for the possibility. Gordon, in a potential signing with the Dolphins, would be Miami’s most talented running back in recent memory — probably extending back to the Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown days. He’s expected to come with a hefty price tag, a deterrent that will impact the Dolphins less than some other teams, given their cap space as well.
The final cherry on top? Gordon is used to running behind ineffective offensive lines throughout his career in Los Angeles. He’d likely get more the same early on into his contract with the Dolphins.
There is some upside to signing Gordon for the Dolphins — namely that the team doesn’t have to invest a top-100 selection in a running back and can instead focus on premiere positions early in the draft. And if that is enough of an incentive for Chris Grier and company, then sure. Gordon’s potential signing won’t make or break the Miami Dolphins — and at the end of the day it isn’t our money to spend. Gordon isn’t the best running back on the market and he’s not necessarily the best fit for the Dolphins. But he may inevitably be one of the most easily obtainable.
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