NFL rumors: 5 teams who could trade for Melvin Gordon

1. Houston Texans

The Texans have Lamar Miller on the final year of his contract this year, and the promise of D’Onta Foreman as he’s further removed from a torn Achilles’ late in the 2017 season. Miller is still the starter, but he’s proven to be an ordinary talent who does nothing an above-average level.

Looking at touchdown production, there’s no comparing Miller and Gordon. Miller has 13 rushing scores in his three seasons for the Texans, while Gordon has found pay dirt on the ground 28 times in that span.

Mix in receiving touchdowns, and Gordon still has advantage over the last three seasons (10 to five).

Looking at each back’s advanced metrics in 2018, via Player Profiler.com, a few things stand out. Gordon finished ninth in breakaway run rate last year (7.4 percent), while Miller came in at No. 32 (4.3 percent).

That separation highlights the difference in all the efficiency metrics, including evaded tackles, true yards per carry, yards per touch and juke rate.

Those metrics are combined into one catch-all number, called Production Premium, which also accounts for and discounts based on game situations. Gordon came in at No. 4 (+34.6), and Miller ranked No. 56 (-14.6).

There’s no doubt Gordon is a superior player to Miller, and he would give the Texans’ rushing attack some serious juice behind a reshaped offensive line.

Houston has the cap space ($40.8 million) to easily take on the $5.6 million salary, and maybe they could clear the backfield logjam by sending Miller back to the Chargers in a trade.