The Melvin Gordon Saga - Holdout Over

[AK47]

Last year, Elliot had 73% of the Cowboys rushing yardage. The 10th best in NFL.
In the same time, Gordon had 47% of the 15th best rushing team.
I know Melvin had fewer carries and I know the Cowboys OL is better.
But the stats speek for itself.
If Elliot deserves 12 millions, Gordon should get 8 or 9.

Imho I think MG should get paid in the 7 mill range at the most and be happy with that considering he's a RB with 1 good year. That said if I were a GM I'd just keeping drafting good RB talent every 3 years supplemented with cheap vets as needed. Stagger said drafted RB types (potential cowbell, flex, ect) of course. This model has proven effective for SB winning teams.

[Topcat]

Last year, Elliot had 73% of the Cowboys rushing yardage. The 10th best in NFL.
In the same time, Gordon had 47% of the 15th best rushing team.
I know Melvin had fewer carries and I know the Cowboys OL is better.
But the stats speek for itself.
If Elliot deserves 12 millions, Gordon should get 8 or 9.

In other words, Zeke had a larger percentage of a watermelon, and Gordon had a smaller percentage of a grape...

[powderblueboy]

Imho I think MG should get paid in the 7 mill range at the most and be happy with that considering he's a RB with 1 good year. That said if I were a GM I'd just keeping drafting good RB talent every 3 years supplemented with cheap vets as needed. Stagger said drafted RB types (potential cowbell, flex, ect) of course. This model has proven effective for SB winning teams.

Which year was his good year? One of the two years he went to the pro bowl, or the year where he played all 16 games and ran for 1100 + yards?

[Panamamike]

Which year was his good year? One of the two years he went to the pro bowl, or the year where he played all 16 games and ran for 1100 + yards?

He has a career avg of 66 yards rushing per game. Only one season with over 4ypc. OMG, how can we replace that???? He has been better and much more efficient as a receiver. He has a career avg of 8.7 yds per reception, and been very good after a meh rookie year.

[SDBORN]

He has a career avg of 66 yards rushing per game. Only one season with over 4ypc. OMG, how can we replace that???? He has been better and much more efficient as a receiver. He has a career avg of 8.7 yds per reception, and been very good after a meh rookie year.

Agreed Panama. He is big in the receiving game, which is valuable, but otherwise not that difficult to replace. His other big advantage is how good he has become at not turning it over. The guy rarely fumbles. That is worth some extra money, but nowhere near top tier RB levels.

In my mind he is worth 7 -9 mil a year.

If I'm the Chargers, I give him an incentive based package for this year - how about another 2 mil if he meets the incentive requirements? I think it's more than generous considering he is still on contract this coming season. If he takes it, great. If he doesn't and decides to sit, he will feel it more than the Chargers will. And when injuries start showing up around the league during the season, TT can get some trade value for Gordon from other teams, if he is still sitting at that point in the season.

[Panamamike]

Agreed Panama. He is big in the receiving game, which is valuable, but otherwise not that difficult to replace. His other big advantage is how good he has become at not turning it over. The guy rarely fumbles. That is worth some extra money, but nowhere near top tier RB levels.

In my mind he is worth 7 -9 mil a year.

If I'm the Chargers, I give him an incentive based package for this year - how about another 2 mil if he meets the incentive requirements? I think it's more than generous considering he is still on contract this coming season. If he takes it, great. If he doesn't and decides to sit, he will feel it more than the Chargers will. And when injuries start showing up around the league during the season, TT can get some trade value for Gordon from other teams, if he is still sitting at that point in the season.

No. Absolutely can not offer sweetener on this year. Huge precedent going forward that we do not want to set.

[Topcat]

He has a career avg of 66 yards rushing per game. Only one season with over 4ypc. OMG, how can we replace that???? He has been better and much more efficient as a receiver. He has a career avg of 8.7 yds per reception, and been very good after a meh rookie year.

Ekkie can catch. So can Jackson, Detrez and Cox...yep, gonna be tough to replace MG3 all right...

[jubei]

I read somewhere there's a possibility of some kind of patchwork quilt deal to keep Gordon for a few more years at a price agreeable to both parties. It wouldn't be a long term deal per se.

if they were working on a deal to keep mg for a few more years doesnt that qualify as a long-term deal? I dont think RBs at his age with his injury history will get 5-6 yr deals...maybe not even 4 yr deals. so anything over a year, IMO, is a long-term deal for a RB like him.

[Maniaque 6]

Agreed Panama. He is big in the receiving game, which is valuable, but otherwise not that difficult to replace. His other big advantage is how good he has become at not turning it over. The guy rarely fumbles. That is worth some extra money, but nowhere near top tier RB levels.

In my mind he is worth 7 -9 mil a year.

If I'm the Chargers, I give him an incentive based package for this year - how about another 2 mil if he meets the incentive requirements? I think it's more than generous considering he is still on contract this coming season. If he takes it, great. If he doesn't and decides to sit, he will feel it more than the Chargers will. And when injuries start showing up around the league during the season, TT can get some trade value for Gordon from other teams, if he is still sitting at that point in the season.

In the passing game, Gordon is not so big. Last year, he got 11% of the yardage on the air and Ekeler got 9%.
For the Cowboys, Elliot represents 15% of that yardage.
It would be very easy to replace him if the Chargers have not enough money.

[Steve]

The length of the deal means very little by itself, it is the cap ramifications and how years are tied to the signing bonus.

MG will still want the guaranteed money, and a big signing bonus only comes with a longer (4-6 years) deal. The CBA allows the team to pro-rate the bonus so that MG wouldn't take up the entire cap the year he signs his deal.

Shorter deals, mean that the bonuses will be smaller, which means the player has less security, the team can cut him whenever, because it doesn't hurt the cap much.

Long deals with no bonus also mean the teams can cut the player whenever they want. MG will never sign a deal with all salary at $65 million or $70 million over 4 years, even though it is a lot more than they are asking, simply because the Chargers would cut MG next offseason and MG would never see any of the money. The only exception to that is if some of his salaries were guaranteed, which the Chargers do a lot so they don't necessarily have to give as much in terms of bonuses.

[Maniaque 6]

4 years, 32 millions
First two years, full guaranteed
The 3rd one, half of the 8 millions
The 4th year, team's option

[powderblueboy]

No. Absolutely can not offer sweetener on this year. Huge precedent going forward that we do not want to set.

Why not? How has that worked out in the past for the Chargers?

You say he's immediately replaceable - well, then trade him for a 5th round pick.