Chargers rookie running back Melvin Gordon is not expected to play in San Diego's second preseason game on Saturday night in Arizona against the Cardinals. The first round pick is nursing an ankle injury so the Bolts will likely hold him out for precautionary reasons.
Gordon had six yards on 11 carries in the exhibition opener a week ago against Dallas. He has not missed practice time in the last week. If this was a regular season game he would probably be in the starting lineup. So the severity of the ailment is a positive.
What is not a positive is the fact Gordon is still a rookie and needs to get as many live-game repetitions as possible to acclimate himself to how things work in the NFL. The Chargers traded up to get him because they view him as a true difference maker who can mean the difference between an OK season and a playoff run.
As talented as Gordon is (and he is certainly a rare talent) there's no substitute for actually getting in to a game. He'll still have two chances to get game repetitions before the regular season starts on September 13 at Qualcomm Stadium against the Lions.
