Chargers allow Sproles to test free agent market Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/26/2010 @ 7:15 pm) 
Despite releasing LaDainian Tomlinson last week and not having a true every down back, the Chargers will allow running back Darren Sproles to test the free agent market says Adam Schefter via his Twitter page. Official: San Diego will not tender RB Darren Sproles and will allow him to test free-agent market. No LT, probably no Sproles. Changes.
It’s an interesting development for the Bolts, but one that isn’t entirely surprising. If they tendered Sproles, they’d have to pay him nearly $7 million next season, which is high for a part-time player. In comparison, Reggie Bush will make $8 million next season. Sproles is an outstanding returner and dangerous with the ball in his hands, but $7 million a ton of money to pay a back that will get limited carries. Maybe he’ll sign with San Diego at a cheaper price, but as of right now Sproles will hit the open market as a free agent. It goes without saying that the Chargers will spend the offseason looking for an every down back. Chargers’ Vincent Jackson to serve jail time after pleading guilty to DUI charge Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/23/2010 @ 5:45 pm)  Chargers’ receiver Vincent Jackson will serve at least 96 hours in jail after pleading guilty to a DUI charge on Tuesday. From 10 News San Diego: According to the city attorney’s office, Jackson was given the standard sentence for a DUI with one prior — five years probation, with 96 hours in custody. Additionally, Jackson will have to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving class, pay a $2,408 fine and participate in a multiple conviction program, the city attorney’s office said.
Seeing as how Jackson was also charged in January for driving without a valid license, there’s a good chance that the NFL will suspend him for at least a game in 2010. That’s just speculation on my part, however. Jackson is currently a restricted free agent and given how productive he was last season, he could garner some attention from other teams this offseason. As far as pass catching is considered, Jackson was a top 5 wideout in 2009 and he’s not a bad blocker either, thus nobody should be surprised if another team makes a play on him when free agency kicks off in March. That said, most teams account for character when deciding whether or not to pursue a free agent and given Jackson’s recent off field track record, chances are the Chargers won’t have much trouble retaining his services.
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Chargers release icon LaDainian Tomlinson Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/22/2010 @ 4:51 pm)  After spending nine years in San Diego, LaDainian Tomlinson’s Charger career has officially come to an end, as the team released the 30-year-old running back on Monday. Tomlinson ends his San Diego career after amassing 12,490 rushing yards and 138 rushing touchdowns on 2,880 attempts. Outside of 2009, he never finished with less than 1,110 rushing yards during a season and never totaled less than 10 rushing touchdowns. His best season came in 2006 when he rushed for 1,815 yards and a NFL-record 28 touchdowns, which he still holds today. While it’s a sad ending to such a fine tenure, Tomlinson didn’t make things easy by ripping the franchise for his lack of carries last year and his criticism of head coach Norv Turner’s pass-first approach. Tomlinson also refused to take a pay cut to stay in San Diego, so nobody can blame the Bolts for saving $5 million ($3 million in salary, $2 million in bonuses) by dumping him now. Some fans like to blame the Chargers’ offensive line for Tomlinson’s declining numbers over the past two seasons. But while the left side of Marcus McNeill and Kris Dielman left something to be desired in the run blocking department last year, the right side of Jeromey Clary, Louis Vasquez and center Scott Mruczkowski was more than serviceable in opening up running lanes. The fact is that Tomlinson’s skills have just deteriorated after toting the rock so many times throughout his career. Tomlinson will land with somebody next year. Chances are he’ll have to take a one or two-year deal, but given his experience and exceptional vision, he’ll land on his feet again. It just won’t be in San Diego, where it was clearly time for both player and team to move on.
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Will this be Tomlinson’s final year in San Diego? Posted by Anthony Stalter (11/11/2009 @ 11:29 am)  According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, running back LaDainian Tomlinson is likely playing his last season for the Chargers. LaDainian Tomlinson is still a player who can help the Chargers win, but it seems clear he can no longer win games for them and is likely closing out his final season in San Diego. The Chargers are averaging 3.1 yards a carry, worst in the NFL. And unless they can start getting some leads and let Tomlinson and others pound the ball while the line gets in a rhythm, that doesn’t look to get much better. Sunday was the fourth time this season the Chargers rushed 21 times or fewer. They are on pace to rush just 364 times, which would be their fewest since 2000 and third-lowest total ever.
Tomlinson is a player who has served the Chargers incredibly well over his career and it was good to see San Diego rework his contract in the offseason. But it’s been apparent the past two seasons that he’s running on empty and as the article suggests, it looks like his time in San Diego is coming to an end. That said, in LT’s defense the offensive line hasn’t been good either. The holes just aren’t there like they have been in years past and LT isn’t the only one suffering from it: Darren Sproles is only averaging 3.5 YPC, which is only a mild improvement over Tomlinson’s 3.2 YPC. I still don’t see the same explosion and decision-making out of LT as I did in previous years, but the O-line has played a part in Tomlinson’s decline. If the Chargers do decide to part ways with LT, they need to find a back that can run between the tackles in the offseason because they could pair him with Sproles to form a nice 1-2 combo. They need a back that can wear opponents down throughout the course of games, because they don’t have that now and their offense remains unbalanced. Looking back at things, it probably would have been wise to hang onto Michael Turner and part ways with LT, but how would the Chargers know that Tomlinson would break down the past two years? They probably had an idea that his time as a primary back was winding down, but they weren’t going to cut him before last season and pay Turner at the same time. It was unfortunate timing that Turner became a free agent when he did. Photo from fOTOGLIF
Rivers gets more guaranteed money than Eli Posted by Anthony Stalter (08/25/2009 @ 9:18 am) 
Quarterback Philip Rivers and the Chargers agreed to a new six-year extension worth slightly more than $92 million. Rivers will receive roughly $50 million over the first three years. From the San Diego Tribune: “I certainly couldn’t have asked that it could have gone any better than it did,” said Rivers, who signed the largest contract in club history shortly before Monday’s 4 p.m. practice. “I can’t say enough how excited I am and how thankful I am that it’s done, and (that) I’ll be here for a long time.” Both sides expressed during talks the need to get the deal done before the regular season. There was the potential that Rivers could make a lot more money if he and/or the Chargers had a big season, but there was also the potential he could get hurt. And Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith had expressed his willingness to place the franchise tag on Rivers next offseason if no deal was reached.
There was a debate about whether or not the Giants overpaid for Eli Manning’s extension a couple weeks ago. Ironically, Manning got $34.5 million guaranteed and will make $48.5 million over the first three years, compared to Rivers’ $38.25 million guaranteed and $50 million over the first three years.
Manning has a Super Bowl ring, while Rivers does not. Yet there seems to be less outrage over Rivers’ deal than there was over Manning’s. Interesting. Either way, the Bolts did what they had to do. They have a franchise quarterback in Rivers and they had to pony up after Manning signed his extension. When teams have a quarterback that has already proven he can win divisions and lead the franchise to the postseason, you have to do everything in your power to retain him. |
