When the Broncos re-signed running back Melvin Gordon on Tuesday night, reactions were mixed.
Gordon’s been a productive back in Denver the last two seasons with more than 900 rushing yards in each campaign and at least eight touchdowns on the ground. But a nasty fumbling habit has plagued the former Wisconsin standout, as he’s lost the football seven times with Denver and 21 overall in his career.
Throw in the fact that Javonte Williams is ready to be a starter and tote the rock 20-25 times a game, and some people were left wondering why George Paton gave Gordon up to $5M to return in 2022.
I think the answer may have something to do with the fact Gordon wasn’t used properly under Vic Fangio and Pat Shurmur (shocking) and will be under Nathaniel Hackett. The Broncos need to return Gordon to his days as a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, and Hackett is just the man to do that.
In Green Bay the last three seasons, Hackett devised schemes that worked well for Aaron Rodgers to use his running backs as receivers. Starter Aaron Jones caught 52 passes from Rodgers last year with the Packers. He turned those catches into 391 yards and more importantly, six touchdowns. Backup AJ Dillon hauled in 34 receptions for more than 300 yards and a couple of trips to the end zone as well.
For comparison, Gordon caught just 28 passes in 2021 from Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. That’s a far cry from what he did with the Chargers, consistently catching 40-plus footballs and even reeling in 58 completions for 476 yards and four touchdowns in 2017.
This is how Gordon can be most effective and something Russell Wilson likes to do. In 2020, Wilson’s last full healthy season, the third leading receiver on the Seahawks in terms of catches was running back Chris Carson. He caught more passes than either tight end or the No. 3 wide receiver. Gordon can have that type of impact for Denver this year — and proved he’s comfortable as a pass catcher during his time with the Chargers.
Re-signing Gordon can also only work if he accepts his role as a clear backup to Williams. The 50/50 split on carries the Broncos did in 2021 needs to be a thing of the past. Williams is a bull in a china shop and at this stage of his career is a much more dynamic option than Gordon. Williams can break tackles and take the football to the house at anytime. That’s not Gordon’s game anymore, and that’s fine.
One would assume Paton had these talks with Gordon before deciding to bring him back. The Broncos will utilize him out of the backfield for 8-10 carries a game and feature him as a pass-catching weapon for another 3-4 looks every Sunday. If that all happens, Gordon can be effective and this new deal makes sense. If not, well Gordon’s in for a rude awakening, as his day of being the featured running back are behind him.
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If Gordon can catch passes and accept backup role, new deal will work - 104.3 The Fan
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