Melvin Gordon will not receive a new contract any time soon.
Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told reporters on a conference call Sunday that contract talks with Gordon will be suspended until the conclusion of the 2019 season.
The development comes one day after the Chargers granted Gordon’s reps permission to seek a trade, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Gordon will play this season — if and when he reports — on the fifth-year option unless the running back can find a trade partner. He’s set to make $5.6 million this season.
The fifth-year back has been away from the Chargers as he seeks a new contract worth more than $10 million per year, which is what the Chargers reportedly offered initially.
Earlier this week, Telesco expressed his frustration over the duration of Gordon’s holdout.
“I’m disappointed it has lasted this long. I pride myself in having solutions to problems, and I haven’t solved this one yet,” Telesco said, via ESPN’s Eric Williams. “We know what he means to our team, and even bigger than that what he means to our organization. But the other side is we have a big game coming up this week with the Colts, and I’m confident in the players that we have on the field right now will play well.”
The Chargers open the regular season against the Colts Sunday, Sept. 8.