Melvin Gordon’s tenure in Denver has come to an end
Melvin Gordon III was waived by the Denver Broncos on Monday, a day after a pricey fumble in a team losing to the Las Vegas Raiders.
According to sources familiar with the situation, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport revealed Monday that the Broncos waived the veteran runningback. The team later confirmed the move.
Mike Boone is eligible to come back from the injured list in Week 13. Marlon Mack is on the roster, and Devine Ozigbo is on the practice team.
In 2022, Gordon has done struggle with ball control. This was his fifth fumble of the season.
Gordon, a former Pro Bowler with the Chargers, joined the Broncos in 2020 and quickly established himself as a starter. He started six of the ten games he appeared in this season, totalling 318 rushing yards and 223 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns.
His 3.5 yards per carry average is a career-low and a significant drop from his 4.5-yard average in 2021.
Last season, Gordon shared the backfield with Javonte Williams, whom the Broncos chose in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Williams tore his ACL against the Raiders in Week 4, thrusting Gordon into a more prominent role.
Gordon’s fumbles cost the Broncos two games.
Gordon fumbled on third-and-1 at the Raiders’ 3-yard line in the final seconds of the first half on Sunday. The Broncos recovered the fumble but lost four yards on the play and settled for a field goal on fourth-and-5. The Raiders blocked the field goal and held a 10-7 halftime lead on their way to a 22-16 overtime victory. The Broncos fell to 3-7 after the loss.
Gordon also lost the ball near the goal line against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. Gordon misplayed on a fourth-and-goal run from the 1-yard line with Seattle leading 17-13 in the third quarter. The Seahawks managed to recover and won the game on a 17-16.
Gordon’s difficulties have coincided with the Broncos’ ineffective offence, which ranks dead lowest in the NFL with 14.7 points per game scored. He is clearly not the root of their problems. Williams also fumbled near the goal line against the Seahawks, & quarterback Russell Wilson is having his worst season since being acquired from the Seahawks in a trade.
Only 10 games into his tenure, rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett is under intense scrutiny. On Sunday, he delegated offensive play-calling to quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak.
The Broncos, on the other hand, decided on Monday that it was time to make a change, and participants made it at running back. Gordon, 29, could be an appealing choice for a contender looking to add backfield depth.
Following Williams’ injury, the Broncos joined Latavius Murray. He’s been in the backfield with Gordon since Week 6 and will presumably play a larger role in Gordon’s absence. On Monday, the Broncos initially did not announce a corresponding roster change.
Gordon’s release comes after yet another error-filled game in which the running back fumbled near the goal line, costing the Broncos a touchdown chance late in the first half of Sunday’s overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Gordon bungled for the fifth time this season, 2 of which were lost.
“I was sick about it after the game,” Gordon said of his fumble. “I shot my foot, and I’m somewhat irritated about it. Today I was feeling it.”
Gordon’s time in Denver could have ended much sooner this season. Following a fumble, he showed up to be benched in Week 4’s loss in Vegas. However, Javonte Williams’ season-ending knee injury in the same match provided Gordon with a bit more leash.
With continued mental errors, the running back eventually ran out of rope. He’s dropped passes, missed blocks, and has not been particularly effective on the ground, averaging nearly 3.13 yards per carry over the last 8th games.
Gordon had been outplayed by 32-year-old Latavius Murray, whose been expected to take over as the starter in Week 12.
Nonetheless, due to his experience, Gordon could be claimed by a club in need of a veteran who has demonstrated running and pass-catching ability in the past.
With newly acquired RB Chase Edmonds leaving Sunday’s game early due to injury, waiving Gordon this week has become more interesting. Edmonds is expected to miss several weeks due to a high ankle sprain, according to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
Mike Boone is capable of returning from the injured list in Week 13. Marlon Mack is on the roster, and Devine Ozigbo is on the practice team.