Melvin Gordon contract stance may have surprised fans

Melvin Gordon and his agent have declared a firm stance with contract negotiations, and some Chargers fans may have been caught off guard.

The Chargers were expected to look to extend franchise running back Melvin Gordon past his rookie deal, giving a raise to an ascending player who has improved statistically over the course of his first four seasons in the NFL. Currently, franchises face a dilemma when trying to properly value their workhorse backs in a way that is also financially satisfying to the player in question. Every reason to pay him more also elicits a negative response trying to bring his value down. The Chargers, though recently a franchise that regularly rewards their draft selections, are never ones to overpay for talent when they do not have to.

Gordon’s camp is opting to take a very firm stance here (as they should), stating they will demand a trade or sit out the year if an extension meeting their standards is not presented to them. The response from fans was only slightly positive, with only 51 percent of fans polled on Twitter voting to still extend him, with the other 49 percent preferring to trade him. Nearly four weeks prior, a similar poll revealed over 80 percent of fans wanted to extend their beloved running back. What happened in such a short period of time?

Initially, the response could have been one of shock, as Gordon is typically a player who does everything he can to stay on the field. Fans watched as a hurt Gordon went into Baltimore, got hurt again, and still remained on the field despite a number of physical issues. Seeing him take a very “selfish” stance may have caught fans off guard. It’s also possible the idea of trading him has shifted the perspective of fans, with wild trade ideas ranging anywhere from a first-round pick to a new right tackle flying from every publication and website. One thing is for certain: This back-and-forth between Gordon and the Chargers organization is not going away any time soon.