Chargers Not Likely to Place Franchise Tag on WR Jackson

February 22nd, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in 2012 Free Agency, News

The Chargers don’t sound like they want to spend what would cost them nearly $13.7 million to put the franchise tag on Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

The Bolts can place the tag on Jackson till March 5th. If they don’t put the tag on him, he will become an unrestricted free agent on March 13th, allowing him to negotiate and sign with another team.

Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego reports while retaining Jackson is considered a top priority for general manager A.J. Smith, sources said Smith is “extremely uncomfortable” allocating that much money to a one-year guaranteed deal. A tag late in the designation period is not beyond possibility, but ultimately, the chances are said to be “highly unlikely.

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Video: Should the Chargers have fired Norv Turner?

February 17th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in Opinions, Video

The Chargers are bringing back head coach Norv Turner and G.M. A.J. Smith for the 2012-13 season, but after yet another disappointing season in San Diego, it’s now or never for the pair.

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A View on How the Chargers Will Deal with the Salary Cap Issues in 2012

February 17th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in 2012 Free Agency, News, Opinions

Football Outsiders is out and doing Division by Division looks at the salary cap and how it affects each team around the league.

To see about the entire AFC West – click HERE

Here’s the Bolts breakdown, and some of the background on how they think things will play out for the team.

Estimated Cap Space: Between $9 and $10 million

Unrestricted Free Agents (16): Stephen Cooper, Patrick Crayton, Na’il Diggs, Jared Gaither, Antonio Garay, Steve Gregory, Nick Hardwick, Tommie Harris, Jacob Hester, Vincent Jackson, Randy McMichael, Tony Moll, Scott Mruczkowski, Paul Oliver, Bob Sanders, Mike Tolbert

Restricted Free Agents (2): Brandyn Dombrowski, Kory Sperry

After a season on the Chargers’ practice squad, Dombrowski, an undrafted free agent out of San Diego State, has been a key reserve offensive lineman over the last three seasons, starting 15 of 47 games. With four offensive linemen ticketed for unrestricted free agency, an “original round/right of first refusal” tender at $1.26 million is a possibility.

Franchise Tag Candidate: The Chargers used the franchise tag in 2011 on wide receiver Vincent Jackson at a cost of $11.424 million. Jackson validated that with a strong season, ranking 14th in DYAR and 19th in DVOA. To use a second tag on Jackson would cost the Chargers $13.709 million, a 20 percent increase over his 2011 salary number.

Potential Cap Casualties/Restructures: Left tackle Marcus McNeill’s $10.5 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed on March 13. Coming off a season-ending neck injury, McNeill will likely be released before that happens, clearing $6.6 million in cap space. Left guard Kris Dielman is leaning towards playing in 2012 after a concussion, and subsequent seizure, ended his 2011 season and nearly sent him into retirement. Dielman is due $5.5 million in total compensation –- a $4.5 million base salary and has a $1 million roster bonus –- that the Chargers may seek to reduce. Defensive end Luis Castillo missed most of 2011 with a broken leg and is due $4.975 million in total compensation that the Chargers may seek to restructure.

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Hardwick Will Play Again in 2012

February 14th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in News

After contemplating retirement following the 2011 season, Chargers center Nick Hardwick will play in 2012, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

“My commitment is full throttle,” Hardwick said Monday. “I just think you have to re-assess yourself all the time – assess how you’re progressing, assess where you stand. I’m more excited right now than I’ve been in a long time to train. Obviously, two weeks off was enough to get the itch.”

A third-round pick out of Purdue in 2004, Hardwick has started all 103 games he’s played over the last eight seasons, earning one trip to the Pro Bowl (2006) and missing most of one season (2009) with a broken foot. Hardwick, 30, became a father during this season and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent.

Acee adds that left guard Kris Dielman, who was considering retirement after a concussion led to a seizure on the Chargers’ return flight after a loss to the New York Jets, will also play out the final year of his contract. Dielman is scheduled to earn a $4.5 million base salary and a $1 million roster bonus. Given the health concerns with Dielman, the Chargers will likely attempt to rework his contract.

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Dielman Reportedly Leaning Towards Playing in 2012

February 8th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in Injuries, News

According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, those close to Chargers left guard Kris Dielman and team sources indicate that he is leaning toward playing in 2012 after a scary concussion and seizure prompted him to consider retirement,

Dielman as you may recall, suffered a concussion when he collided with New York Jets linebacker Calvin Pace in October. Immediately following the play, Dielman wobbled and appeared disoriented but remained in the game. On the team’s cross-country flight home to San Diego, Dielman suffered a seizure near the end of the flight and was hospitalized.

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Chargers Hire Joe Barry as LB Coach

February 4th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in News

The Chargers have hired Joe Barry as linebackers coach.

Barry spent the last two seasons as linebackers coach at Southern California. Before that, he spent nine seasons as an NFL assistant coach, including seven as a linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and two as the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. Barry coached for the Buccaneers’ 2002 Super Bowl championship team that led the league in total defense and scoring defense.

He replaces John Pagano, who was promoted to defensive coordinator.

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WR Jackson Remains in Limbo Waiting to Hear from the Chargers

January 26th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in 2012 Free Agency, News

Wide out Vincent Jackson remains in a waiting mode as far as getting some type of answer about his future with the Bolts.

“There hasn’t been any communication as far as contracts go,” Jackson said after Wednesday’s Pro Bowl practice. “If that’s their feeling, that’s great. I would like to stay in San Diego. Obviously, that’s my home, that’s where I was drafted. I’ve got some good guys around me -– Philip Rivers (Antonio) Gates, Ryan Mathews. It would be a great place for me to stay, so we’ll see if that works out.”

Jackson, who earned $11.4 million this past season as the team’s franchise player, said he’d prefer to avoid the tag again.

“That’s something that’s out of my control,” he said. “I can’t concern myself with how that goes. I’d love to have a long-term deal, just to have security of where you’re going to be for a while. That’s a decision that they have to make.”

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Bolts Checking Out Pass Rushers at the Senior Bowl

January 25th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in News

The Chargers are paying careful attention to pass rushers at the Senior Bowl.

The Chargers’ decision makers have not shied away from talking about the need to bring in more “impact players” on defense. And when they use that term, their mind’s eye sees a pass rusher to help out opposite Shaun Phillips.

According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports Chargers general manager A.J. Smith was excited to get a look at pass rushers like Melvin Ingram of South Carolina and Courtney Upshaw of Alabama.

“I’m focused on pass rush every year,” Smith said. “Are we looking for that now? Yeah.”

The elite pass rusher is not considered as abundant in this year’s draft as in 2011.

“That class was unbelievable,” a longtime NFC defensive coordinator said Tuesday. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

What the Chargers do in the draft could depend on what they do in free agency, which Smith appraised Tuesday as a “huge, talented crop.”

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