Tag: Melvin Gordon

List of Broncos players heading into the final year of their contracts in 2022

The list of Broncos players entering the final year of their contracts includes Bradley Chubb, Dre’Mont Jones, Dalton Risner and Melvin Gordon.

The Denver Broncos re-signed 11 of their in-house free agents this spring and 10 of those players received one-year contracts.

Broncos general manager George Paton seems to be building the core of team’s roster through the draft while using free agency as a supplement to patch holes, which is a smart philosophy. Paton’s also used free agency to make some splash moves, such as pass rusher Randy Gregory and defensive lineman D.J. Jones.

Paton has also shown a willingness to give extensions to the team’s most important in-house players with expiring contracts, such as wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.

After giving out a bunch of one-year deals this offseason, Paton’s staff will have to make some tough decisions next year when free agency approaches. As the roster stands now, the Broncos have 19 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2023.

Here’s a quick look at Denver’s complete list of players entering the final year of their contracts this fall.

Wisconsin teammates Russell Wilson, Melvin Gordon reunited with Broncos

From Madison to Denver … Russell Wilson and Melvin Gordon are teammates again after reuniting with the Broncos this offseason.

After 11 years apart, quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Melvin Gordon are back on the same team in 2022.

Wilson started his college career at NC State before transferring to Wisconsin in 2011 for his senior season. On the Badgers, Wilson teamed up with Gordon, who was a freshman at the time.

Gordon had a limited role that year, rushing 20 times for 98 yards and a touchdown. Wilson threw for 3,175 passing yards and 33 touchdowns that season before later going on to win a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2014.

Gordon later started his NFL career with the Chargers in 2015 before signing with the Broncos in 2020. Denver acquired Wilson from Seattle via trade this offseason and he’s now reuniting with his former college teammate in the NFL.

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2 Broncos make PFF’s list of players with best NFL contracts

Compared to the contracts WRs have been signing lately, Courtland Sutton’s deal is a big bargain.

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton has handled the salary cap well since joining the team at the beginning of 2021.

Among the best decisions Paton has made so far were signing wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick to contract extensions during the 2021 season. The deals signed by Sutton and Patrick now look like bargains compared to what other receivers were paid this offseason.

Brad Spielberger of ProFootballFocus.com agrees with that assessment as he recently included Sutton’s deal on his list of the 32 best contracts in the NFL. Spielberger has Sutton’s four-year, $60 million deal ranked as the fourth-best contract in the league.

“Paton got right to work inking his club’s most important contributors to long-term deals in 2021, none more aptly timed than wide receiver Sutton’s four-year, $60 million extension in November 2021,” Spielberger wrote on PFF’s website. “Twelve wide receivers have signed multi-year extensions for more than $15 million per year since, and several more could do so before Week 1 of the 2022 season kicks off.”

Also on Spielberger’s list is running back Melvin Gordon’s one-year, $2.5 million deal, ranked No. 32. That’s a great value for a player who has totaled 2,275 yards from scrimmage and scored 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

Paton’s smart contract work has left the Broncos with about $11 million in remaining salary cap space going into the summer.

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Broncos RB Melvin Gordon rejects ‘bad teammate’ narrative

“I’ve never had a teammate ever, — since high school, since little league — ever tell me I was a bad teammate,” Melvin Gordon told Jim Rome.

You will be held accountable for the things you say.

The Denver Post‘s Sean Keeler wrote an article two weeks ripping Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon. To each their own.

“With No. 25, there’s not much footing left when it comes to finding middle ground. Depending on whom you ask, Gordon is either an underrated, strong, confident, misunderstood fantasy-league workhorse or a selfish, me-first, fumble-prone headache,” Keeler wrote in The Denver Post on June 14.

It would have been understandable if Gordon didn’t reply. A wise man, in the words of Tanya Masse, once said nothing. But the problem with not replying to every disparaging comment is that the same detractors will think you don’t get that they’re talking about you. Which brings home the point of not replying (because they’re stupid). But sometimes you have to let it out and tell people how off they are.

Appearing on The Jim Rome Show last Wednesday, Gordon clapped back at Keeler’s “trash article.” The former’s words, not this lowly blogger’s. Gordon actually doesn’t have a problem with the article except for the bad teammate part, saying, “I’ve never had a teammate ever, — since high school, since little league — ever tell me I was a bad teammate.”

Gordon added that he prides himself on “being [a] good teammate” and that he doesn’t “sugarcoat anything.” Listen to Gordon’s comments above. He addresses article around the 1:50 mark.

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Nathaniel Hackett on Melvin Gordon: ‘He’s a spectacular running back’

“He’s been a great running back in this league for a long time,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said of Melvin Gordon.

Some Denver Broncos fans (and many fantasy football managers) want to see the team turn the backfield over to Javonte Williams.

Melvin Gordon has made it clear that he’s going to fight for the starting job, though, and the Broncos have made it clear that they plan to use a two-back rotation. Neither Williams nor Gordon will dominate the touches in 2022.

Nathaniel Hackett, who used two running backs while serving as the Green Bay Packers’ offensive coordinator, is now Denver’s head coach and he’s spoken very highly of Gordon this offseason.

“He’s a spectacular running back and he’s been a great running back in this league for a long time,” Hackett said on June 13. “You can’t have too many good running backs at that position. He’s a powerful runner downhill and at the same time, he has the speed to be able to stretch it in the outside zone. We’re happy to have him and happy to integrate him in.”

As Hackett noted, Gordon’s been a productive running back for several years now. The 29-year-old veteran has totaled 8,388 yards from scrimmage and scored 67 touchdowns over the last seven seasons.

Gordon drew interest from other teams as a free agent this spring but he opted to re-sign with the Broncos after the team acquired star quarterback Russell Wilson. Gordon knows the team might be on the verge of turning things around, and he wants to be part of the equation.

“To be a part of something special — which is what I think we’re trying to build here — would be [great] because obviously the ultimate goal made on Day 1 since we started playing ball as kids is to hold that Lombardi Trophy up,” Gordon said. “That’s the goal and the mindset, and we have to do whatever it takes to get there.”

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Broncos RB Melvin Gordon eager to play with QB Russell Wilson again in the NFL

A full-circle moment: Russell Wilson and Melvin Gordon are reuniting in Denver after a decade apart.

A full-circle moment, Russell Wilson landed with the Denver Broncos this offseason after playing minor league baseball for the Colorado Rockies for two seasons before deciding playing in the NFL was his calling in life.

After deciding to pursue football, Wilson attended the University of Wisconsin as a graduate student, with Melvin Gordon in the backfield. Ten years later, the duo links back up on the Broncos. Gordon can’t wait to share the field with Wilson again. This time, at the highest level of the profession,  the NFL.

Here’s a better analogy: imagine becoming fast friends with someone in college, then you’re sad when graduation hits and you go your separate ways. Then, imagine both of you climbing the career ladder for the next 10 years to the point that you guys are reunited. This time, much wiser. That’s Wilson’s and Gordon’s relationship.

“It’s good,” Wilson said of reuniting with Wilson, via DenverBroncos.com. “The thing is it’s not just me who he wants to help. When I came in there earlier, he had some rookies in there. I think he wants everybody to learn it. He’s a true winner.

“Winners like that want everybody to be a part of that, and he’s bringing me along and he wants everybody to hit the ground running, not just me because he knows me — because he’s the quarterback and that’s his job. His job is to bring everybody along, and that’s what he’s doing.”

Broncos Country hasn’t seen a reunion like this since Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall reunited on the Chicago Bears. Speaking to the person Wilson is, it’s worth noting Gordon points out that Wilson wants to help the RB because it’s his job, and not just because of their friendship. Think about your workplace: not everyone is like that. Next season is shaping up to be a good one for the Broncos. Giddy up.

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Melvin Gordon explains why he re-signed with Broncos

Melvin Gordon didn’t want to change teams this offseason, and Russell Wilson joining the Broncos made it an easy decision to remain in Denver.

Denver Broncos RB Melvin Gordon re-signed with the team just before this year’s NFL draft in April.

Waiting as long as he did, some pundits pondered why the RB didn’t wait until training camp started to see if injuries opened up opportunities.

Well, Gordon is reuniting with his former college teammate Russell Wilson by re-signing for starters. Also, seeing the Broncos’ Super Bowl odds jump to the seventh-best may have played a part in Gordon’s decision.

During Gordon’s initial two-year contract, the Broncos never had  a winning record, let alone a playoff appearance.

“With Russell, that’s a game changer. I’m not really one of the guys that likes to start over,” Gordon said on June 13. “I really don’t like change too much with coming into a new locker room, having to build relationships, finding out who your clique is and finding out who works with you and what you’re able to say until guys get comfortable. It’s a drag — the city, finding a new place to stay. It’s a lot, man.”

Indeed, NFL players are humans, too. While many a fan just look at athletes as performers on a stage, or a source for fantasy points, multiple lives are affected every time a player signs, re-signs or is released. Especially their families. So, it’s understandable Gordon didn’t want to uproot at this point in his career. In other words: imagine you get a job offer for a better salary across the country. But you don’t know anyone where you’re going — in theory. You’d have to pause before accepting, right? The same thing happened to Gordon.

“It’s a lot that goes into it behind closed doors that changes your whole thought [process] behind leaving a place,” Gordon added. “[Nathaniel] Hackett is a cool dude. He has great energy. He’s changed the whole atmosphere around here. You’re excited to come in. Not saying I wasn’t before, but you’re just a little more excited. He does a lot of different things that are fun. It’s a fun environment workplace. It feels really good to be a Bronco. The last couple days and coming in here today and when I was sprinkling in here in and out last week — it’s a different feel. I’m enjoying it.”

Gordon returned to the Broncos’ facility for the first day of mandatory minicamp after skipping most of the team’s voluntary offseason program. Check out Broncos Wire’s Jon Heath’s notes from minicamp as we await training camp to start next month.

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Melvin Gordon has a great perspective on Broncos’ running back competition

“I’m not going to lay down, man,” Broncos RB Melvin Gordon said. “I’ve always had that mindset that I have to go get it.”

The Denver Broncos plan to use a running back rotation this year just like they did last year, with Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams sharing touches.

One of the two backs will be listed as a starter on the depth chart, though, and one of them will be leaned on for important situations. While both backs will get plenty of touches, they’re still set to compete to be the official RB1 in Denver.

Gordon has a great perspective on the competition.

“I told [GM George Paton] I’m not going to lay down,” Gordon said on June 13. “I’m not going to lay down, man. I’ve always had that mindset that I have to go get it and that they’re bringing someone in here to take your job. I know a lot of people are wanting me to take a backseat. I get it. It’s been like that for a while. It was like that when I was with the Chargers. Everyone wanted Austin [Ekeler] to start. I just come out here and do my thing.

“Thanks for the motivation, everybody. I appreciate y’all for the extra motivation. I need it. I’m just going to go out here and do what’s best for the squad. I put my best foot forward every time I go out there, then I’ll see what happens. The goal is to make them want to play me.”

That kind of mentality is exactly the kind of outlook Denver’s coaches want Gordon to have. He’s motivated and eager to prove he deserves to be the primary back. That’s the kind of mindset that will lead to the best results.

“I know we’re going to do our thing — me and ‘Vonte’ are going to do it,” Gordon said of the team’s backfield rotation. “I don’t really know how we’re going to do the reps and things like that. The goal right now is to really master the playbook and let things play out. I’m definitely going to be ready to battle. That’s what it is. It’s going to make us better — it did last year.

“I’m going to continue to do that. I don’t care how old people think I’m getting. I feel good. I’ve been sharing the ball since I’ve gotten in the league with running backs, so this is nothing new. I’ve been battling for a while.”

Gordon has totaled 2,275 yards from scrimmage and scored 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons with the Broncos. He’s not going to hand Williams the RB1 title, and that competitive mindset is exactly what the RB room needs.

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Where Wisconsin lands on the list of all-time Doak Walker Award winners

Wisconsin is RBU!

Wisconsin has been a premier destination for college football’s best running backs over the past few decades of Badger football. From Ron Dayne to Jonathan Taylor and with a number of legends in between, Wisconsin has dominated on the ground in recent years.

How about a stat that backs up the greatness of Badger running backs? The Doak Walker Award has annually honored the top running back in college football since 1990, and Wisconsin has had its fair share of winners. Badger fans won’t be surprised as to where Wisconsin lands among schools with the most all-time winners of the award.

Here is a look at which school’s have the most Doak Walker Award’s since its inception in 1990: