Melvin Gordon update: Chargers standing firm despite holdout

Melvin Gordon has taken his demands public, but the Los Angeles Chargers are not budging in the wake of his holdout.

Recent reports indicate that the Chargers and Gordon are far apart in their contract negotiations.

According to a recent report from Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the Chargers are ‘dug in’ with respect to their contract offer to Gordon.

Gordon has another year remaining on his contract, but he is seeking security now while he has leverage. The Chargers, as a team entering the season with Super Bowl expectations, would hate to lose such an impactful offensive player.

Gordon has an enormous incentive to get a new contract now, as he is coming off of a career year in which he averaged 5.1 yards per carry. Furthermore, he has a growing injury history, and a major injury this year could significantly diminish his value heading into next season.

While both sides would like to stay together (as Gordon has publicly stated), there are several factors slowing negotiations.

As Robinson stated, Gordon’s new contract will go into the new collective bargaining agreement period, where more money is expected to be available. Due to this, Gordon may be upping his demands after the 2020 season when the current CBA expires.

Also, Gordon has less ability to pressure the Bolts into a new contract than his demands illustrate. Unlike Le’Veon Bell, Gordon would gain nothing from holding out for an entire season.

If Gordon does not report by the Tuesday after Week 10, his $5.6 million contract would be applied to the 2020 season.

For these reasons, the Chargers appear content to roll with Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson until Gordon decides to end his holdout or decrease his demands.