Melvin Gordon, Running Back
If you can get over the fact that John Elway spent a pretty substantial amount of money on a free agent running back, you will see that the addition of Melvin Gordon to this Denver Broncos roster is a tremendous one.
Gordon wasn’t an attractive free agent piece by every metric, but I can think of a number of reasons why the Broncos would prioritize him.
Gordon is a beast vs. stacked boxes
Melvin Gordon was one of the best running backs in the league against stacked boxes this season.@Melvingordon25 led all RBs in yards per carry (5.9) and rush success rate (62.2%) against 8+ defenders in the box this season, min. 100 carries.#Chargers | #ProBowl pic.twitter.com/vyBJR3rBhu
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 25, 2019
The Denver Broncos faced a ton of loaded boxes last season as teams dared Drew Lock to throw. Lock doesn’t have the reputation of Patrick Mahomes yet by any means, so teams are likely still going to try to force Lock to beat them until he consistently proves he’s capable of doing so.
With that being the case, the Broncos beefed up their interior offensive line by signing Graham Glasgow and drafting Lloyd Cushenberry. They also got themselves a running back who was the best in the NFL last season at running against a stacked box of eight or more players.
Gordon is also exceptional in the passing game, not necessarily just as a receiver but as a pass protector.
Another area where Gordon impacts the Broncos? He’s a veteran presence the team lacked prior to his arrival.
Among the starting skill players on Denver’s roster, Gordon at just 27 years of age is easily the oldest.
This is a guy who has proven over the last five years that he can play at a very high level. He has also been one of the best players at putting the ball in the end zone. He scored 47 total touchdowns over the last four seasons with the Chargers. That doesn’t guarantee the Broncos anything, necessarily, but he’s averaging almost 12 touchdowns per year over the last four seasons.
There are not many skill players in the NFL who can claim that.
Gordon gives the Broncos an experienced back who can do everything for you to go in tandem with Phillip Lindsay, a fellow 2018 Pro Bowl selection. These two players together can potentially give the Broncos the best tandem of backs in the league.