Eagles’ Doug Pederson on Jordan Howard-Melvin Gordon trade rumor: ‘It’s not coming from us’
Pederson said he approached Howard, who the Eagles acquired through a trade this offseason from the Chicago Bears, to tell him the news wasn’t true.
Before Friday’s practice, Eagles coach Doug Pederson denied the report that the Birds had offered running back Jordan Howard and an exchange of draft picks to the Los Angeles Chargers for disgruntled star running back Melvin Gordon.
Pederson said he approached Howard, a fourth-year veteran whom the Eagles acquired in an offseason trade from the Chicago Bears, to tell him the news wasn’t true.
“We feel great about Jordan, which is why we brought him here," Pederson said. “We actually went to Jordan when the report came out, went right to him and said, ‘Listen, you’re here. The report’s false. It’s not coming from us.'
“Just wanted to reassure him that this is the reason why you’re here, to help us win games,” Pederson added.
Albert Breer, who writes for Sports Illustrated’s MMQB, tweeted that the Eagles offered Howard and an exchange of mid-round draft picks to the Chargers for Gordon, as long as the Chargers paid part of Gordon’s salary. The Chargers are looking for much more than that for Gordon, so the Eagles’ offer might be more of a feeler than a serious inquiry.
The Eagles sent a sixth-round conditional pick to the Bears in March for Howard, who rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons and 935 last year with a slightly decreased role.
Howard said earlier this week he isn’t worried about the rumors.
″I didn’t hear about that, but that’s not my job, to worry about it. My job is just to focus on what’s on hand right now," Howard said on Wednesday. “That doesn’t really make me feel any kind of way. It’s good people are interested in me or whatever."
Gordon, who is scheduled to make $5.6 million in the fifth year of his rookie contract, has been holding out and will likely miss the Chargers’ season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. The contract extension negotiations between Gordon and the Chargers seem to have gone stagnant, and the two-time Pro Bowler doesn’t seem to be garnering much trade interest.