Chargers Gab

Linebacker Shawne Merriman says that there’s no doubt he wants to be a Charger in 2010:

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, a five year veteran, was hoping to become an unrestricted free agent when his contract expired but with 2010 being an uncapped year, Merriman lacks the sufficient number of years to file for unrestricted free agency. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement in an uncapped year, players who wish to file for unrestricted free agency must have six years of playing eligibility, but Merriman has five, and so the Chargers placed the highest possible tender on him in hopes of getting one more year of his services. Merriman joined XX Sports Radio in San Diego to talk about whether he thinks there is a chance that he won’t be a Charger next year. “I have no idea actually,” Merriman said. “You know I am just getting ready for football. That is really it. That is all I know right now. I have said it a thousand different times. I would love be there. No question, no doubt in my mind. I can’t even see myself playing anywhere else. But there is that business side of it and I cant do anything about it. I will wait to see what happens.”

The Chargers re-signed defensive lineman Antonio Garay to a two-year contract. Garay is a reserve behind Ogemdi Nwagbuo. The Chargers cut nose guard Jamal Williams, but a league source told National Football Post he could potentially be re-signed.

It looks as if the Chargers are now looking to trade running back Darren Sproles, this after he was at first not given a tender, then the team did a 180 and gave him a first-and-third tender on Thursday. The 26-year-old had three touchdowns last year and rushed for 343 yards.

If the Chargers were to keep him, they would have to pay him $7,283,000 next season. If a team wants Sproles, it means they would have to give them a first and third round pick, and even at that the Chargers would have the right to match an offer the team makes.

Today’s San Diego Union-Tribune feels that the solution with Sproles is to simply trade him. The paper reports it won’t take a first- and third-round draft pick to get him via trade. There were a couple teams that had their eyes on Sproles when he was about to become an unrestricted free agent, including the Eagles, Chiefs, Redskins and Rams.

The Chargers surprised some people on Thursday when they released big nose tackle Jamal Williams, but the Denver Post reports that it looks like Williams could be right back with the Bolts:

The Chargers’ surprising release of 3-4 nose tackle Jamal Williams might end up being a temporary situation. Word is the Chargers only released their nose tackle so they could re-sign him at a lesser salary. Williams was one of the game’s most dominant run stuffers until he suffered a season-ending torn triceps injury in the opener.

The first trade of the free agency period has taken place, as reports are the Jets have reached an agreement in principle with the Chargers to acquire cornerback Antonio Cromartie. The Jets confirmed the deal Thursday night, but didn’t release specifics – although it is believed to include a draft pick in 2011 going to the Chargers.

Cromartie was an All-Pro in 2007 and will team with Darrelle Revis in the Jets’ secondary, making them possibly the best cornerback tandem in the NFL. Cromartie replaces Lito Sheppard, who was released earlier in the day after one disappointing season.

Despite 15 interceptions in four seasons, the Chargers were dissatisfied with Cromartie’s performance late last season and in the playoffs. General manager A.J. Smith made it clear he would try to trade him.

It appears that the Chargers are going to do a 180 when it comes to their running back spot for the 2010 season. Today a source stated that the team will not tender a contract to Darren Sproles, allowing the back to test the free agent market this spring.

The move comes just four days after the team released LaDainianTomlinson, who ranks eighth on the all-time rushing list with 12,490 yards. If the Chargers wanted to keep Sproles, they’d have to make him an offer of about $7.3 million.

The Chargers have always valued Sproles as a multiple threat. While they can still talk with Sproles about a long-term deal, other teams might want to give him a shot as a featured back. Sproles has said he believes he can be an every-down back. The Chargers have used him as a backup running back, return man and as a receiver out of the backfield.

He made about $6.6 million last season after being tagged as a franchise player. Tomlinson made about $6 million. Still, the Chargers’ running game ranked second-to-last in the league. Sproles was second to Tomlinson last year with 343 yards and three touchdowns on 93 carries, an average of 3.7 yards per carry. He was fourth with 45 catches for 497 yards and four TDs. He was also the primary kickoff and punt returner and scored on a punt return.

WR Vincent Jackson has pleaded guilty to a DUI charge and was sentenced to four days in jail and five years of probation.

Because it was his second DUI conviction, Jackson also likely will be subject to the NFL’s personal conduct policy and could face at least a one-game suspension next season. Jackson pleaded guilty in a 2006 DUI case and was on probation when he was arrested again in January 2009, just days before a playoff game.

A spokeswoman for the City Attorney’s Office says Jackson was given the standard sentence for a DUI with one prior, including a $2,408 fine and 10 days of public work service. He also was given an additional five days of public work service on the 2006 DUI.

In an expected move, the Chargers today released running back LaDainian Tomlinson ending a nine-year run in which he became one of the NFL’s greatest running backs. The move has been expected since the end of the season. Tomlinson had 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows. Tomlinson was due a $2 million bonus in early March.

The Chargers were unable to take advantage of another AFC West title in 2009, and with it there’s no doubt that there will be a new look for the Bolts in 2010. With free agency looming, as well as the NFL Draft in April, there’s word now that the Chargers are looking to upgrade their backfield.

The big news of course is that it looks as if LaDainian Tomlinson will not be back with the Chargers in 2010. His career has been on the downswing for the past three seasons, and even when he was the best back in the league, he was not able to do enough to get the team over the top.

Then there is Darren Sproles, who was paid a lot of money last year as the teams franchise player, but still couldn’t take the feature back from L.T. and ran for just 343 yards and caught 45 passes for 497 yards and scored 7 touchdowns. It looks as if the team simply isn’t going to be able to count on him to be the teams feature back anytime soon.

So what does the club do? The latest word is that the club will use cornerback Antonio Cromartie in some sort of deal to acquire a feature back. One team that has some backs is the Dallas Cowboys, who have Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. But they really don’t need a corner, and it doesn’t make sense to make that move if your Dallas.

As for Cromartie, he is a four-year starter, a former first-round draft pick and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007 when he intercepted 10 passes. Sources have said he has fallen out of favor with the Chargers, who also have a pair of corners in Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason who were first-round picks.

So the team could also look to free agency, and one back they may look at is Steelers running back Willie Parker. He isn’t a starter in Pittsburgh anymore with Rashard Mendenhall there, but still has injury issues to deal with, and it will be interesting to see if he can overcome that to shine again.

Some say that the Chargers may be willing to trade Cromartie for a draft choice that could give them more flexibility to select at least one running back in this year’s draft, sources said. Whatever they do, upgrading the run game is simply a must if the Chargers are ever going to make it to the next level.