Are the Chargers being arrogant in dealing with holdouts?
Every year the San Diego Chargers are picked by many to win the Super Bowl or at least to make it there. That has yet to be the case in this era of the team. Every year, they finish strong in the regular season, playing their best football in December. Quarterback Philip Rivers’ record in December is a whopping 16-0, (17-0 if you include last season’s finale in January). That is impressive to say the least.
The Chargers’ biggest struggles, and the most crucial have happened in January, come playoff time. Last season spoke volumes of that. The Chargers were coming off 11 straight wins to close out their season. Due to the momentum they had and with a healthy roster, it seemed they would finally make the deep playoff run everyone had been waiting for. That didn’t happen as the Chargers lost in a disappointing 17-14 loss to the upstart New York Jets in the divisional round last year.
The Chargers have seen some of the best talent in football today, from Rivers, to Ladanian Tomlinson, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, Antonio Cromartie, Quentin Jammer, Shawne Merriman, Marcus McNeill, Nate Kaeding, Darren Sproles, the list goes on and on. The Chargers have the talent that most of the league would trade a roster for, but they can’t bring it together when they need their skill to carry them.
All their playoff failures in the last five years should motivate management to ensure that all pieces are in place to make another run at the Super Bowl. But that hasn’t been the case this offseason. Some moves the Chargers made were right for the team like releasing an aging, declining Tomlinson and trading a struggling Cromartie had to be done. Some changes were needed as long as the core was still intact.
Where the Chargers may be dropping the ball is in not doing what it took to get left tackle McNeill and wide receiver Jackson to report to training camp on time. Both players did not sign their restricted free agent tenders and will not join the team unless they are given long-term contracts. General Manager A.J Smith made no attempt to sign either and instead has punished both players by placing them on the roster exempt list and lowering their pending tenders to $550,000.
The Chargers now risk having either player not join them until late in the season. Both would have to play at least six games this year to accrue a season into unrestricted free agency. It is clear the organization does not feel threatened to their division stranglehold over the AFC West. The Broncos, Raiders and Chiefs don’t seem to worry them as the regular season is just around the corner. They feel they can still win a division without them that is clear. They feel comfortable as long as Rivers is under centre leading a young Chargers team.
The question is how can the Chargers gamble on their season? Who’s to say that the division won’t improve and that the Chargers can be challenged for a playoff spot? The Chargers primary goal should be no less than a Super Bowl and they should be doing everything they can to ensure all their pieces to the puzzle are in place.
McNeill deserves a sign of faith from the Chargers with a new contract. He’s one of the best left tackles in the game and protects the franchise player in Rivers. McNeill defends his blind side and is vital to that offence.
Jackson is crucial to their success as well. He’s the best deep threat on the team and takes the attention of defenders away from the Chargers’ receiving corps, allowing others to contribute in the passing game.
The Chargers cannot continue to display more interest in winning a battle over dollars and cents when the war starts this September. Their run to a championship should have no distractions involved and all their weapons should be ready. The goal is to win a championship and if they don’t think other teams are ready to challenge them, then that is pure arrogance and a lack of respect for the other teams ready to sleigh the giant. If the Chargers once again fail in their quest this year, this is something that will be looked back on as the situation that doomed the team before the season even started. They have to resolve this and get set for a tough season and a run to the championship and it must start now.
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