Seattle Seahawks: Trading for Melvin Gordon would be terrible mistake
By Samuel Teets
The Seattle Seahawks might be a good fit for Melvin Gordon, but that doesn’t mean Seattle should trade for the disgruntled running back.
A recent article on Heavy.com listed the Seattle Seahawks as one of the best trade fits for disgruntled Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon. Vincent Frank, a writer for Sportsnaut.com, also listed Seattle as one of the top spots for Gordon.
While I get the appeal of a dynamic Pro Bowl back like Gordon joining the Seahawks, the move would be a huge mistake for Seattle.
Let’s start with the facts. Gordon is in the final year of his rookie contract and he wants a lucrative new deal. He has 2,987 rushing yards and two Pro Bowl appearances in the last two seasons. He also has 1,385 receiving yards and 38 total touchdowns during that span.
2018 was Gordon’s best year, even though he only played in 12 games. He was ranked 34th on NFL Network’s NFL Top 100 for 2019, which made him the fifth-highest ranked running back.
Based off of his production and the esteem his peers hold him in, Gordon would be looking at a huge raise. He’s set to make roughly $5.6 million this season but could demand closer to $10 million on the open market.
Three running backs are currently making more than that annually on average. Todd Gurley is the highest paid, followed by Le’Veon Bell. David Johnson is in third with an average annual salary of $13 million. It wouldn’t be shocking if Gordon wants a contract that pays out $10-13 million per year.