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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Gavino Borquez

RB Melvin Gordon on Chargers offense: ‘System wasn’t for me’

Running back Melvin Gordon signed with the Broncos on a two-year deal in March.

The Chargers and Gordon’s relationship took a downward spiral after failing to agree to a contract extension last offseason. Fast forward to this offseason, it still wasn’t mutual for both parties, which led to the decision to split ways.

Gordon is happy to be playing with Denver, partly because he will be playing in an offense that is well-suited to his game, unlike in Los Angeles, he says.

“It really didn’t play out to my strengths, especially the first couple years there,” Gordon said on an interview with NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

“I kinda just had to adjust and make it work. It kinda wasn’t a system built for me. But I feel like Denver kinda runs my style of football, and I think it’s a great fit.”

The former Wisconsin product said that the Chargers system helped him become a “better player all-around”, but the Broncos system can play to his strengths as a runner.

“They run a lot of inside zones, and that’s what I did a lot at Wisconsin,” Gordon said. “It’s going to really help me get back in the feel of what I do best. I’m an inside-zone runner.”

Gordon said that the Bolts were more of an outside zone team. He asked coach Anthony Lynn about doing more inside zone. He tried, but it ultimately didn’t work out.

Gordon will join an improving rushing attack which will feature him, Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles is expected to a shift to a scheme that uses wide-zone runs, play-action, and work from under center more frequently in 2020 given the fact that the offense will revolve around a mobile quarterback.

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