With Melvin Gordon’s contract expiring at the beginning of the league year, who could the Denver Broncos target to try and replace his production?
First off, let me say that if Melvin Gordon would be open to returning to the Denver Broncos, I am all for that. However, as it stands today, he is scheduled to become a free agent.
Gordon has had his ups and downs with the Denver Broncos, mostly ups, but there have been some unfortunate fumbles in between. Although the fumble against the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular-season finale technically gets credited to Gordon, that isn’t something I’m placing on him.
That was just a fantastic play from the other Melvin, edge rusher for the Kansas City Chiefs, Melvin Ingram.
In his two seasons with the Denver Broncos, Gordon has rushed for 1,904 yards, totaled 371 yards receiving, and scored 20 total touchdowns. Gordon was highly productive during his two seasons wearing the orange and blue.
Gordon had some memorable moments too. His touchdown reception in 2020 against the Pittsburgh Steelers was a phenomenal catch on a wheel route, his 70-yard rushing touchdown against the New York Giants in the season opener showcased some top-end speed also.
Gordon has been the red zone and short-yardage machine that the Denver Broncos were hoping for when he was brought in. That is an aspect of his game that I think will be sorely missed if he moves on to play for another franchise.
Again, I would absolutely be all for Gordon returning, but it is a business. There is a cap of financials and only so many funds to go around, which may force general manager George Paton to look in another direction to pair with tackle-breaking machine, Javonte Williams.
Leonard Fournette
Coming off back-to-back productive seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Leonard Fournette could be the bruiser that the Denver Broncos may be looking for to pair with Javonte Williams.
Fournette is not going to be a game-changing back or a big-play threat, but what he can do is fall forward. While it seems like Fournette is ancient, he is currently just 27 years old. His yards per carry is right at the threshold of what you ask for from your running back, with 4.0 yards per carry.
Meeting this number is important for one simple reason, if you have three carries back-to-back-to-back, and gain four yards on each, that moves the chains. That is 12 yards on a three-play sample size which is enough to keep your offense on the field in a hypothetical scenario.
Fournette had 10 total touchdowns last season, eight on the ground and two through the air. He gained 812 rushing yards to pair with a shocking 454 receiving yards.
Oh, another interesting tidbit, Fournette was the bell cow back in Jacksonville while current Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was the offensive coordinator. Do you know who his running backs coach was during that time?
Current Denver Broncos’ running backs coach, Tyrone Wheatley. Basically what I’m trying to get across here is that there is history between Hackett, Wheatley and Fournette. If we have learned anything from Nathaniel Hackett’s coaching staff, it’s that he trusts familiarity.
During his rookie season in 2017, Fournette shined in what was an offense that had Denver Broncos’ practice squad legend Blake Bortles at the helm. With Mike Boone and Javonte Williams providing the lightning for the rushing attack, Leonard Fournette would be a fine fit as the thunder.
Cordarrelle Patterson
If I’m being completely honest, it still feels a little strange placing Cordarrelle Patterson in a running back article. It is something I personally am still adjusting to.
Patterson however, did not have an adjustment period when he was pushed into the backfield in a Ty Montgomery type of role. With the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, Patterson was an absolute menace as a playmaker.
Rushing for 618 yards on 153 carries, Patterson also met the 4.0 yards per carry threshold. Pairing that with 548 receiving yards on 52 receptions, the Atlanta Falcons found themselves one heck of a weapon. Patterson also scored 11 touchdowns with the Falcons last season.
If the Denver Broncos were to move on from current return specialist, Diontae Spencer, Patterson would be able to step in and be an upgrade as a returner as well. Having someone like Cordarrelle Patterson on your team is beneficial for many reasons, but none more than the versatility that he brings on to the gridiron.
Connecting dots can sometimes be misleading, but when Cordarrelle Patterson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings, do you know what Paton was doing at the time?
He was the assistant general manager of the Minnesota Vikings.
Patterson could still be described as raw when it comes to being labeled as a running back, but he is a playmaker. One thing I will always harp on, you will never hear me say that there are too many playmakers on the field.
Imagine having your 21-personnel set out on the field, hopefully, I said hopefully, Aaron Rodgers back in the gun, with Javonte Williams and Cordarrelle Patterson beside Rodgers in the backfield, with Noah Fant, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick/Jerry Jeudy on the field.
Good luck to the opposition trying to stop that.
There are so many creative looks and designs that you could push out under that formation, it wouldn’t be fair when you have an All-Pro like Aaron Rodgers spreading the ball around.
Phillip Lindsay
If you are following the trend here, the previous two players have/had connections with the Denver Broncos in some sort of fashion. Former Denver Broncos’ running back, Phillip Lindsay, obviously fits right into that mold.
Lindsay, as most of you know, is a homegrown, Colorado kid who spent his collegiate career in Boulder with the Colorado Buffaloes.
As an undrafted free agent, Lindsay had multiple offers to mull before he decided to ultimately stick to his hometown roots and fulfill a lifelong dream of his by playing for the Denver Broncos. In his first two seasons, Lindsay surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in each, adding 16 total touchdowns.
When I think of Phil Lindsay, one word sticks out like a sore thumb, spunk.
Lindsay provides spark, jolts of energy, effort, protection of the most prized possession between the hashes, the football, and a common rooting interest for all Denver Bronco fans and Coloradans.
During his time in Denver, Lindsay flourished in the West Coast type of offense run by then offensive coordinator, Rich Scangarello. When recently fired offensive coordinator, Pat Shurmur, was brought in, Lindsay simply fell out of rotation due to a bad fit with his style of rushing attack.
Re-signing Lindsay would be great in many aspects, but it would just leave a void at having that short-yardage, powerful back who would naturally fall forward. While Javonte Williams is a wrecking ball once his legs start churning, if you are able to force your will on him before he gets going, he is susceptible to being stuffed for no gain, or even negative yards.
I’m here for a return of the No. 30 in the Mile High City, but the Broncos offense led by Nathaniel Hackett may need some fantastic designs drawn up when it is time to punch it in from the “gold zone,” referring to what Hackett calls the “red zone.”
Latavius Murray
If George Paton and the Denver Broncos want to add the least appealing option to the eyes, look no further than Latavius Murray.
Latavius Murray is built like a tank at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. He possesses a physical style of running that may be exactly what the Denver Broncos would be searching for with the loss of Melvin Gordon.
Murray isn’t going to break out a 70-yard scamper, but what he does do is keep the chains moving. He would be a guy that you could bring in on a pretty cheap one-year deal if the Denver Broncos are just looking for a short-yardage back.
In 2021 with the Baltimore Ravens, Murray rushed for 501 yards and six touchdowns. Nothing to clamor to, but that isn’t what the Denver Broncos should be searching for. Throughout his eight total seasons, Murray has rushed for a total of 49 touchdowns.
If the Broncos do trade for an elite quarterback, skimming the bottom of the barrel for free agents like Murray could bring immense value at a discounted rate. Murray also played two seasons for the Minnesota Vikings in 2017 and 2018.
He then signed a three-year deal worth $15 million dollars before being let go after his second season with the proud SKOL nation. Like Leonard Fournette, Cordarrelle Patterson and Phillip Lindsay, Latavius Murray has current ties to the Denver Broncos’ regime as he signed with the Minnesota Vikings during George Paton’s tenure in their front office.
Hassan Haskins
Out with one No. 25, in with another.
Hassan Haskins is a 6-foot-1, 220+ pound running back who spent his collegiate career playing for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. Haskins rushed for 2,324 yards and 30 touchdowns during his three seasons of playing time.
He is a strong and powerful runner, who shows great balance and naturally falls forward, much like Melvin Gordon. However, up until this point in his career, he has been a bit of a one-dimensional back as his receiving capabilities are lacking.
Drafting a back like Haskins wouldn’t cause for a major investment, he should be available early on in day three of the NFL Draft. That is honestly where I would be comfortable with George Paton dipping back into the running back pool.
There isn’t a major necessity to overspend at the running back position. Just last year, the Denver Broncos and George Paton became enamored with former University of North Carolina running back Javonte Williams. Paton proved so by trading up in the second round with the Atlanta Falcons to ensure he would be wearing orange and blue.
Whenever I put on the tape, Haskins’ running style and mannerisms honestly bring up comparisons of Melvin Gordon. He would be a great fit for this offense and would have a year to grow and only see time in short-yardage situations.
When 2023 rolls around and Mike Boone hits free agency, the Denver Broncos will be in great shape with a two-headed monster featuring Williams and Haskins.
Also, Wheatley was the running backs coach for the Michigan Wolverines from 2015-2016, under Jim Harbaugh. If Wheatley is intrigued by former Wolverine, Hassan Haskins, maybe he reaches out to the current and head coach of the Wolverines, Jim Harbaugh.