ENGLEWOOD, Colo .– New Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon has already discovered what he calls the “biggest difference” between his five seasons with the Chargers and his first field job with the Broncos this summer : about 5200 feet above sea level.
“I’m having a bit of trouble, I’m having a bit of trouble here with the altitude,” Gordon said after Sunday practice. I look forward to it. ”
Gordon and Phillip Lindsay basically split the games with the starting attack early in camp. And while Gordon didn’t show any ill effects when running with the ball in the drills, he said he just feels the difference – playing to play, training to train – right now.
Many players who came before him said that if they lived elsewhere during the offseason, they would often try to return to Denver at least a week or two before training camp opened to train at altitude before. the team’s first practice.
“Right now it’s tough, trying to finish downstream, and things like that,” Gordon said. “It’s really dry, I try to drink water every second, the lips are dry. It’s the biggest adjustment, working all the offseason and coming here and still feeling like you don’t. not be in good shape because of the altitude. ”
Gordon signed a two-year, $ 16 million contract with the Broncos in the offseason after five years with the Chargers. Broncos coach Vic Fangio has said he plans to use both Gordon and Lindsay in the team’s offense, but it remains to be seen how the two full-backs split the playing time.
Gordon has had a 1,000-yard running season with the Chargers to go with another with 997 yards, having had four seasons with at least 41 catches.
“I adapt well with the guys,” Gordon said. “… The [altitude] is different, but everything else – it’s obviously a change, but you have to be able to adapt, so you take it as it comes. ”
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