Waived by the Denver Broncos earlier this month, two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon now has an opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl title.
After passing through waivers unclaimed, multiple media reports indicate that Gordon has signed with the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs — joining their practice squad in the process.
It was somewhat surprising to see that Gordon was able to pass through waivers without a team claiming him considering his relatively team-friendly contract.
With that said, there’s been a ton of regression on the part of the veteran running back. Prior to being waived by Denver, Gordon had fumbled the ball a whopping five times while averaging a mere 3.5 yards per attempt on the season.
The Broncos had benched Gordon at times due to these fumble issues, leading to some issues behind the scenes. It’s in this that they had discussions with other teams about a potential deal ahead of the Nov. 2 NFL trade deadline.
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Melvin Gordon fit with the Kansas City Chiefs
Despite joining the Chiefs’ practice squad, a plan has to be in place for Gordon to hit the active roster at some point soon. Kansas City is certainly hoping that a change of scenery will do the former first-round pick a bit of good. After all, Gordon is coming off a two-year span in Denver that saw him put up 2,275 total yards and 20 touchdowns at a clip of 4.8 yards per touch.
- Melvin Gordon career stats: 6,462 rushing yards, 4.1 average, 309 receptions, 2,467 receiving yards, 8,929 total yards, 69 TD
Gordon’s best season came back in 2017 with the Los Angeles Chargers when he compiled 1,581 total yards and 12 touchdowns.
For Kansas City, this is all about adding depth to the mix. Fellow former first-rounder Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been as inconsistent as they come since joining the Chiefs back in 2020. He’s also sidelined due to a high-ankle sprain and is currently on injured reserve. In his stead, rookie seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco has performed pretty well for the 9-2 Chiefs.