Report: Melvin Gordon, Ravens Agree on 1-Year Contract Worth Up to $3.1M

The Baltimore Ravens and veteran running back Melvin Gordon agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $3.1 million Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Gordon, 30, is an eight-year NFL veteran who has played for the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos.

While Gordon signed to be part of the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad last season after getting released by the Broncos, he did not appear in any games for the Chiefs, although he did receive a Super Bowl ring following their championship win.

In Baltimore, Gordon joins a running back room that is led by J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, both of whom have missed significant time with injuries in recent years.

Dobbins and Edwards both missed the entire 2021 season because of torn ACLs. While they returned in 2022, Dobbins was limited to eight games, and Edwards played in nine.

When healthy, Dobbins is clearly the Ravens' best back. He rushed for 805 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 6.0 yards per carry as a rookie in 2020.

Last season, Dobbins rushed for 520 yards and two scores while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He was on pace for more than 1,000 yards had he played a full season.

While Dobbins is explosive, Edwards is a power runner who rushed for a career-high 723 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. He was solid last season as well after returning from his injury, rushing for 433 yards and three scores while averaging 5.0 yards per tote.

Gordon is a two-time Pro Bowler who scored nine or more total touchdowns in six straight seasons from 2016 to 2021. While Gordon has only reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark once in his career (1,105 yards in 2017), he has totaled over 1,100 total yards from scrimmage five times and has a nose for the end zone.

Last season was perhaps Gordon's worst as an NFL player. He rushed for career-low 318 yards on 90 carries and scored only two touchdowns in 10 games with the Broncos before getting waived.

Gordon was expected to be the Broncos' unquestioned No. 1 running back after Javonte Williams tore his ACL, but he fell out of favor with the coaching staff and Denver leaned more on veteran back Latavius Murray instead.

Although Gordon likely won't be asked to play a huge role in Baltimore if Dobbins and Edwards stay healthy, he provides solid insurance should durability continue to be an issue for the Ravens' top two running backs.