Report: Melvin Gordon turned down interest from other teams to stay with Ravens

Players with the proven pedigree of being a two-time Pro Bowler typically don’t stay on the open market for long when they become available around this time of year. As long as they’re healthy and can still make meaningful contributions, teams usually come calling shortly after they’re released.

According to The Score’s Jordan Schultz, that is what happened when the Baltimore Ravens released ninth-year veteran running back Melvin Gordon in their final wave of cuts on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old reportedly received interest in the form of calls from three teams including the Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, and Indianapolis Colts but “elected to stay with the Ravens and join their practice squad” instead on Wednesday.

Gordon is one of four vested veterans on the team’s initial practice squad that had its final spot filled on Thursday by the addition of fourth-year defensive tackle Bravvion Roy. The other veterans on the practice squad include center Sam Mustipher, wide receiver Laquan Treadwell, and defensive back Daryl Worley.

When the team initially signed the former first-rounder to a one-year contract at the onset of training camp on July 21, he was viewed as a veteran insurance policy and depth piece. At the time, projected fourth-year starter J.K. Dobbins hadn’t taken part in the offseason program and was about to continue his reported hold-in by sitting out of practice on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Gordon’s arrival initially seemed to spell doom for undrafted rookie running back Keaton Mitchell’s chances of making the initial 53-man roster but the first-year pro would defy those odds and outshine the established veteran during training camp and especially the preseason. He and fellow undrafted rookie, outside linebacker Malik Hamm, both wound up making the roster before being placed on injured reserve on Thursday.

Opting to stay on the practice squad of a team that is well stocked at his position with Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Mitchell when he’s healthy is a bit of a surprising decision. Given Gordon’s status and possible opportunities to explore more desirable landing spots elsewhere, he must really like his role and prospects with the Ravens.

He could’ve potentially been in the mix to be the Colts starter or at least a key contributor early on in the season with 2021 All-Pro starter Jonathan Taylor to miss at least the first four games on the PUP list.

The Dolphins backfield is a little crowded as well but with so many speedy slashers on their depth chart, they could use a ball carrier who runs with the physicality that Gordon showed in the preseason with the Ravens.

Minnesota released four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook earlier in the summer and could be looking to add a veteran presence still capable of playing meaningful snaps at a discounted rate to their young backfield.

Gordon had back-to-back seasons of 900-plus rushing yards, 8-plus rushing touchdowns, 1,100-plus scrimmage yards, and 10 scrimmage touchdowns with the Denver Broncos before having a down season last year that resulted in his release last November.

He finished the 2022-2023 season on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad where he eventually got to hoist the Lombardi trophy. If he remains on the Ravens practice squad all year to serve as the in-case-of-injury backfield option, he could perhaps find himself being a two-time Super Bowl champion in the end.