The 1-2 punch with Gordon, Lindsay will be good for the Broncos’ offense

Talking about Melvin Gordon’s addition to the Broncos tends to bring two very different reactions.

Either his promise of great potential based on inconsistent-but-occasionally great results over the past five years has fans and pundits excited over the 1-2 punch combined with Phillip Lindsay.

And Joe Rowles just pointed out in his GIF Horse many of Gordon’s strengths:

“Standing at 6 feet and 215 pounds, Gordon meets the desired size most teams have for a running back with quick feet and strong legs and core....The sixth-year veteran brings very good play strength to the position, due in no small part to his contact balance. Tacklers who come in too high or don’t properly wrap him off will find it harder to bring him down, and he brings this physicality to his blocking responsibilities.”

Or it has people angry that a guy with an injury history (only played one full year in his NFL career) and wasn’t that amazing the past two seasons - especially compared to Lindsay - has a pretty hefty contract compared to the super stud No. 30.

Benjamin Allbright of Broncos Country Tonight is among the “not too thrilled with the $8 million/year paycheck” for Gordon, particularly since the running back has only averaged more than 3.8 yards per carry once in his five-year career.

But both Steve Atwater and Brandon Krisztal, guests on the show Tuesday night, believe he will be good for this new Pat Shurmur offense.

“How could anyone not like the Melvin Gordon addition?” Atwater said. “Most good teams have two or three really good running backs on the team. Broncos will have the great combination of power and speed of Melvin Gordon with the quickness and agility of Phillip Lindsay. I think the combination will be something special.”

Ryan Edwards added that he likes the signing because it will make the running game so versatile.

“Teams will have to prepare for not only the speed of Phillip Lindsay but also the physicality of Melvin Gordon,” Edwards added. “It’s a pick-your-poison kind of situation.”

Krisztal also pointed out that the Chargers’ offensive line has been suspect the past few years, so he didn’t want to put all the poor numbers in recent seasons on Gordon. He also thinks both backs will come in wanting to prove themselves.

“We’ll see Gordon more involved in the passing game because he’s a better route runner, better pass catcher than Lindsay - and you’ll get an angry Phillip Lindsay,” Krisztal said, adding that if Lindsay is still a 1,000-yard rusher the next two years and Gordon is healthy, the Broncos will be “a deep playoff kind of team.”.

Of course, it will be a bummer if Lindsay doesn’t get a deserving second contract, but for now, Krisztal and Atwater see this as only fueling Lindsay.

“We will have an angry, I-need-to-prove-it Phillip Lindsay and that can ultimately be a positive,” he said. “He’ll use it to fuel him, and I think he’ll enjoy playing with Gordon.”