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Kansas City Chiefs: Four running back targets for 2020

By Cullen Jekel

LOUISVILLE, KY - OCTOBER 19: Clemson Tigers running back Travis Etienne (9) carries the football during the fourth quarter of the college football game between the Clemson Tigers and Louisville Cardinals on October 19, 2019, at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, KY. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - OCTOBER 19: Clemson Tigers running back Travis Etienne (9) carries the football during the fourth quarter of the college football game between the Clemson Tigers and Louisville Cardinals on October 19, 2019, at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, KY. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Melvin Gordon #25 of the Los Angeles Chargers evades a tackle by Nicholas Morrow #50 of the Oakland Raiders  (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Melvin Gordon #25 of the Los Angeles Chargers evades a tackle by Nicholas Morrow #50 of the Oakland Raiders  (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Target No. 2

Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers

The fifth-year running back out of Wisconsin missed his team’s first four games of the 2019 season while holding out in hopes of landing a new contract. It never materialized. What’s worse, his back-up, Austin Ekeler, performed just fine in Melvin Gordon‘s absence.

The Chargers have bigger fish to fry than dealing with Gordon. L.A.’s second son may be in the market for a new head coach and a new market. Plus, the franchise desperately needs to figure out who’s going to replace Philip Rivers, the team’s long-time, aging quarterback.

The Franchise Tag and Transition Tag for Gordon both appear to be unlikely. But that’s not to say that Gordon isn’t worth it. It’s just that his current employer will have other priorities after yet another disappointing season.

That, in turn, leaves Gordon an unrestricted free agent, and the top UFA running in a free-agent class that potentially includes the likes of Derrick Henry, Jordan Howard, and Kenyan Drake, among others. And Gordon, who will be 27 at the start of next season, is better than the Kansas City Chiefs current stable of running backs.

Two things about Gordon. The first is his yards-per-carry, which increased for him from his rookie season in 2015 (3.5) through last season (5.1). It’s dipped again this season, but that may have to do more with his missing time due to his holdout and injuries to the team’s offensive line.

The other thing: he’s a heck of a receiver for a running back. From 2016-2018, he had over 400 yards receiving in each season while racking up at least 50 receptions in each of the past two seasons. That’s helped him gain at least 1,375 total yards in those seasons even as he missed three games in 2016 and four games last season.

If he doesn’t demand a monster contract–and, let’s be honest: the days of running backs landing those are over–he would be an ideal fit alongside Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and whoever else returns for the Chiefs.

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