Broncos’ offseason decision on Melvin Gordon is becoming difficult
The Denver Broncos have what can be one of the league’s most potent offensive backfields.
The Broncos have gotten the rushing attack going in each of the last two weeks and against the Detroit Lions this past Sunday, the team rattled off 184 yards on the ground. They ran the ball 39 times.
There is little doubt that the Broncos have a future superstar in Javonte Williams, but Melvin Gordon is turning out a solid season as well. Together, the two can give defenses fits and this is exactly how this team currently wants to be on offense.
With Williams and Gordon bringing that one-two punch in the rushing attack.
Gordon is in the second year of his two-year deal with the team, meaning he will be an unrestricted free agent following the season. He will be 29 years old next April and wants to get at least one more payday before his career comes to a close.
The question is, will that be with Denver or another team.
Williams should take over as the team’s starting running back next season, but the Broncos might opt to keep the combination of he and Gordon together, especially if Gordon would be willing to take less money.
Williams leads the team in rushing on four fewer attempts than Gordon. But Gordon still has 716 yards on the season and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry. He has also scored seven touchdowns on the ground while adding two more through the air.
What might be the best indicator of how Gordon has been playing this season is his recent success. In three of the team’s past four games, he has at least 80 yards rushing and at least one touchdown scored. To see him getting stronger as the season goes on is huge for the Broncos.
Gordon and Williams have combined for 1,459 rushing yards in 13 games
The Broncos have established one of the NFL’s most balanced rushing attacks as Williams and Gordon seem to complement each other perfectly. When they get a lead and Teddy Bridgewater can play mistake-free football, the Broncos can be tough to deal with.
As the season goes on, this will be a situation to monitor. Gordon is one of the team’s most high-profile pending free agents and at the beginning of the season, it seemed it would be an easy decision to let Gordon move on, especially when considering how good the rookie Williams looked.
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But as the season goes on, the success of this rushing attack is evident. If that continues, and especially if the Broncos make the playoffs, it will be a tougher decision than the front office likely thought it would be on whether or not to try and keep Gordon in the Mile High City.