Denver Broncos waive RB Melvin Gordon after fumble vs. Raiders

Evaluation season is officially here for the Denver Broncos after they dropped to 3-7 following Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. One of the Broncos’ first moves came about on Monday as the team announced they released running back Melvin Gordon.

The Denver Broncos are making changes as they approach evaluation season. Playoff hopes for this team are unrealistic in 2022, and general manager George Paton is moving forward.

The Broncos announced on Monday that they waived running back Melvin Gordon. Gordon has struggled to hold onto the football throughout his tenure as a Bronco and fumbled during a critical moment in Sunday’s loss against the Raiders. Denver’s offense had the ball on the Raiders’ three-yard line when Gordon lost the football, which Quinn Meinerz recovered. The Broncos attempted to settle for a field goal, but it was blocked by Maxx Crosby.

Instead of potentially going into halftime with a bigger lead, the Broncos missed out on a crucial red-zone opportunity. Gordon’s fumble was a catalyst in the outcome, but overall, the decision came from Paton and company on Monday morning with Gordon’s collective history of losing the football in crucial moments.

After Sunday’s loss, Gordon spoke with reporters and shared his frustration with his fumble.

“I was sick about it, obviously,” Gordon said after Sunday’s game. “I kind of know what comes after that at this point. I shot my own self in the foot. I am a little salty because I was feeling it today. That happened and I kind of knew that I was going to have to find a way to get back in rhythm. I knew it was going to be tough. I tried to make splashes here and there after it but my share of opportunities kind of dwindled after that, and that was my fault.”

Gordon was accountable for his mistake, but the Broncos felt that moving on was the right decision for the team.

As it currently stands, the Broncos running back room is limited with options after waiving Gordon. Chase Edmonds is expected to be sidelined for several weeks after suffering an ankle injury against the Raiders. Latavius Murray will take over a large share of the carry responsibility going forward and practice squad rushers Marlon Mack and Devine Ozigbo could be elevated to the roster. Denver is also optimistic that they’ll receive Mike Boone back from injured reserve in the next couple of weeks.

Cody Roark is Mile High Sports lead reporter covering the Denver Broncos — Cody covers every practice, every home and away game plus community events related to the organization. He also co-hosts The Afternoon Drive with Aniello Piro on Mile High Sports Radio and is the host of the Locked On Broncos podcast. You can follow Cody on Twitter and Instagram @CodyRoarkNFL.