Melvin Gordon Says He Hopes to Sign Contract with Chargers Before Free Agency

Even after an extended holdout leading into the 2019 season, Melvin Gordon is hoping to remain with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

"Hopefully, I'm here," Gordon said Thursday on PFT Live, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "Hopefully, I don't have to wait till March to know where I'm gonna be playing." 

Gordon will be a free agent in March, but it's clear he wants to sign a new deal before he hits the open market.

A return to the Chargers on a long-term deal would've been a surprise at the start of the year. Gordon held out during training camp and into the regular season before making his debut in Week 5.

The team even gave his representatives permission to seek a trade, while the front office remained steadfast that he was not getting a new deal before 2020.

"We have informed his representatives that discussions regarding contract extensions will be postponed until the conclusion of this season," general manager Tom Telesco said, per Gilbert Manzano of the Orange County Register.

Gordon returned to the team and totaled 908 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns in 12 games.

While he wants to remain with the team that drafted him in 2015, he's not sure whether Los Angeles will match his demands. 

"When it comes to business, you have to take your emotions out of it," Gordon said Thursday. "It's not about if you deserve to be here or not. I've talked to Tom plenty of times, he tells me 'you deserve to get paid' but sometimes it just might not be the right situation."

Fellow running back Austin Ekeler—who had a breakout season with 1,550 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns while filling in admirably for Gordon as the starter—will be a restricted free agent this offseason, creating some potentially tough choices for the organization.