The Chargers gave Melvin Gordon reps as a kick returner during a couple special-teams periods, alongside fellow running backs Branden Oliver and Danny Woodhead, and receivers Isaiah Burse and DeAndre Reaves.
"He's a talented player," Chargers head coach Mike McCoy said of Gordon, via ESPN. "He can do that."
Consider this: In 2014, Oliver rushed for 582 yards on 160 attempts (3.6 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. The following offseason, the Chargers draft Gordon in the first round, and get nearly identical numbers. Now, the backfield that Gordon was supposed to take over as the bell cow is suddenly considered crowded, with Gordon, Oliver and the small-but-mighty Woodhead. My, how things have changed.
The story really made this out to be alarming and it can be taken very seriously as a team trying to get the most value out of a player who they might suddenly deem as highly overpriced. It may also indicate Gordon will not be the team's RB1 when the season starts. But keep in mind, nothing is set in stone as far as the Chargers backfield is concerned and the battle is still going on according to McCoy.
