Denver Broncos: Melvin Gordon has talent to be one of best RBs team has ever had
Melvin Gordon signed a two-year deal with the Denver Broncos during the offseason.
The Broncos have had some outstanding running backs in the past, but outside of Terrell Davis and Floyd Little nearly 50 years ago, no running back has really stood out for any prolonged amount of time.
Players such as Mike Anderson and C.J. Anderson came in as unknown players and fit well within the team’s offense at that time. Clinton Portis was dynamic but was traded before he could become an all-time great in Denver.
The Broncos have several shiny new toys they are waiting to spring on opponents this season and one of those is Melvin Gordon. The former first-round pick is one of the most intriguing players on the roster.
Gordon has spent the first five seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers but recently turned 27 years old and has plenty of tread on the tires. He signed a short-term deal with the team but even one good season could land him a long-term deal/
If the Broncos were to get five solid seasons out of him, Gordon could go down as one of the better running backs the team has ever had.
That is high praise, but Gordon has the physical tools to do it. He has a tough, slashing running style with a nose for the end zone. He is also one of the league’s better receiving backs. In the open field on a screen pass, for instance, he is a problem for any defense.
Gordon will share carries with Phillip Lindsay in 2020 and because he’s not a home-grown talent like Lindsay and because he came from a rival within the division, it may take fans some time to warm up to him. But as soon as he proves what he can do on the field, that will change.
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Gordon has the tools to rush for 1,000 yards and have another 500 yards receiving while scoring double-digit touchdowns. That might not happen if he splits 50-50 with Lindsay, but he is capable of a season like that.
In his five seasons, Gordon has been named to the Pro Bowl twice. He has 4,240 career rushing yards, good for fourth on the Chargers’ all-time rushing list. He also has 224 career receptions for another 1,873 yards all while scoring 47 total touchdowns.
It might be tough to heap praise on a guy who did this with the Chargers, but those are impressive numbers.
The Broncos should absolutely mix in Lindsay as often as possible even though Gordon is on the roster. But the team also needs to be aware of the fact that they have a player capable of being one of the five best running backs in the league.
Could Gordon be one of the best running backs in Broncos history at this stage of his career? The talent is absolutely there.