Melvin Gordon is on the move.
The veteran running back signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, the team announced Friday. Gordon’s contract is reportedly worth up to $3.1 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He last spent time on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad during the team’s Super Bowl run after 31 games with the Denver Broncos from 2020-2021.
Gordon, 30, now joins one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL. Baltimore finished top-10 in rushing yards and attempts for the past five years, all with Lamar Jackson under center for at least seven games each season. Things may be a bit different with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, though.
It’s unclear what role Gordon will have in the Ravens’ backfield, but the Ravens’ past few years provide a good reason for wanting as much depth as possible. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, the Ravens’ nominal top 2 backs, have played a combined 17 games in the last two years due to a series of injuries, leaving the team to trot out the likes of Kenyan Drake, Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon Bell.
Gordon very much fits that mold of veterans past their prime, and the Ravens have already placed Dobbins on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from knee surgery.
Gordon at least brings veteran experience to Baltimore. He’s rushed more than 1,500 times in his eight-year career with 6,462 rushing yards and 55 rushing touchdowns. Fumbles have been a bit of an issue recently and likely played a part in his release from Denver. He had five in his last 10 games with the Broncos and has 26 in his career — the most of any running back since 2015.
The signing is good news for Gordon, who’s lamented about the state of the running back market recently. He said running back is “literally the worst position to play in the NFL right now” as he pondered the position’s future.
Now he’ll head to the Ravens, where he’ll have a chance to compete for a job on a team with playoff aspirations.
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