Chargers holdout Gordon: I'll play somewhere this year

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[September 18, 2019]  Los Angeles Chargers holdout running back Melvin Gordon said Tuesday night in an Instagram video that he is "going to play somewhere" this year.

According to ESPN, Gordon added that "it would be a waste of talent" if he were to sit out the entire season. He also took a shot at the team's fan base, saying that the Chargers' 12-4 record last year "was good, but nobody (in Los Angeles) cared."

The Chargers are off to a 1-1 start without Gordon, with Austin Ekeler (29 carries, 124 yards, two touchdowns) and Justin Jackson (13 carries, 116 yards) handling the bulk of the ground attack.

Now on the fifth-year team option of his rookie contract, Gordon was set to make $5.6 million in 2019. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, he reportedly rejected a deal that would pay him roughly $10 million this season.

Multiple media outlets reported late in the preseason that Gordon and his representatives received permission from the Chargers to find a team willing to acquire him in a trade.

In the days before the season started, ProFootballTalk.com reported that the Chargers were seeking first- and fifth-round draft picks in a potential trade for Gordon.

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AFC running back Melvin Gordon of the Los Angeles Chargers (28) celebrates against the NFC in the NFL Pro Bowl football game at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

A first-round pick out of Wisconsin in 2015, Gordon has rushed for 3,628 yards on 897 carries (4.0-yard average) with 28 touchdowns in four seasons. He also has 182 catches for 1,577 yards and 10 TDs.

Gordon's best year was 2017, when he played all 16 games and rushed for a career-best 1,105 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 58 passes for 476 yards and four TDs.

--Field Level Media

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