Is Melvin GorDone in LA? A potential trade for Melvin Gordon

The Melvin Gordon contract saga has taken another turn with Gordon essentially doubling down on his potential in-season holdout saying he thinks the Chargers will cave and pay him or a team will be willing to trade for him. With no current end in sight here’s a potential trade that benefits both sides:

The Proposed Trade:

-The Lions get RB Melvin Gordon

-The Chargers get RT Rick Wagner and a 6^th round pick

Why the Charger do it

One of the weakest parts of the Chargers current roster is at right tackle, the team gets an immediate upgrade in Rick Wagner. Wagner is one of the better pass blocking right tackles in the NFL. With both the Ravens and Lions, Wagner has never missed more than three starts over the last five seasons. Wagner’s deal ends in 2022 so the Chargers O-Line is seemingly fixed for the future and Rivers gets some protection help.

The downside is Wagner is turning 30 this season and he has a cap hit of $11.9M the next three years but his contract has a potential out in 2020. Meaning, if things don’t work out between Wagner and the Chargers the team can outright cut him or use it as a bargaining chip to renegotiate his current deal. The team won’t be boxed in financially and would give the Chargers an opening for potentially signing other internal free agents with the money they would’ve had to pay Melvin Gordon.

Why the Lions do it

The Lions get an upgrade at running back with Melvin Gordon over Kerryon Johnson. The team can now slide Tyrell Crosby, who they drafted in 2018, to right tackle who the team sees as having some real potential. The Lions offense has more firepower by adding Gordon and Wagner’s deal is off the books giving them room to add Melvin Gordon’s new contract which will bring in somewhere between $13-14M annually over the next 4-5 years. The tandem of Gordon-Johnson is a good potential 1-2 punch in the Detroit backfield. The Lions also throw in a late Day 3 pick to sweeten the deal.