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Los Angeles Chargers News & Rumors

Extra Points: Rivers, Hilton, Ngata, Cherilus

August 17th, 2015 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Over the weekend, the Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers reached agreement on a lucrative four-year extension worth $84MM. Today, we learned the details of the contract.

Rivers will earn a $22.5MM signing bonus with $15MM fully guaranteed in 2015, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. He’ll have a $16.5MM injury-only guarantee in 2016 which converts to a full guarantee on the second day of the ’16 waiver period. In 2017, Rivers will earn $14MM with $11MM guaranteed for injury only that will convert to a full guarantee on the second day of the waiver period. In the final two years, he’ll make $10MM and $11MM, respectively, with a $5MM roster bonus in each of those seasons.

That’s big bucks for the Bolts QB, but as we learned earlier tonight, that kind of deal apparently isn’t good enough for Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • T.Y. Hilton‘s deal with the Colts calls for him to earn base salaries of $1MM, $3MM, $8MM, $11MM, $13MM, and $14.54MM, Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets. Hilton’s new deal with Indianapolis could pay him $65MM in total with $39MM guaranteed.
  • Contract talks between the Lions and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata are ongoing and positive, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. Ngata, a five-time All Pro, indicated in March that he would be open to an extension, and Lions GM Martin Mayhew has said that team management is also interested in working out a long-term deal.
  • Gosder Cherilus‘ deal with the Buccaneers is worth $7MM over two years, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The offensive lineman will earn $2.5MM this year and $4.5MM next year. Cherilus gets a $500K roster bonus in 2016 and his $2M base salary escalates to $3M if he plays 75 percent of the snaps in 2015, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
  • Cardinals UDFA rookie linebacker Zack Wagenmann broke his foot again and will miss the entire 2015 season, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

West Notes: Rivers, Cardinals, Seahawks

August 17th, 2015 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the factors that was considered a potential roadblocks when the Chargers and Philip Rivers begun discussing a new contract for the star quarterback was Rivers’ aversion to playing in Los Angeles. With the Chargers’ future up in the air, there was some uncertainty about whether Rivers would want to risk leaving San Diego a year after signing a new deal.

Having officially signed his extension though, Rivers told reporters today, “I’m going to be a Charger, wherever we are.” The veteran signal-caller added that he doesn’t have any sort of “disdain” or “hatred” for Los Angeles, and that comments he has made in the past reflect his attachment to San Diego more than an aversion to L.A. (Twitter links via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune).

Here’s more on Rivers, along with a handful of other notes from out of the NFL’s two West divisions….

  • According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, Rivers’ new contract features a no-trade clause, which means Rivers and the Chargers are unlikely to have a repeat of the situation that occurred earlier this year, when the QB was the subject of trade rumors and speculation.
  • Since a report last week indicated that free agent running back Chris Johnson would visit and take a physical for the Cardinals, we haven’t heard any real updates. According to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link), Cards GM Steve Keim acknowledged today that the team has talked to Johnson, but said there’s “nothing on the horizon.” Meanwhile, ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link) says Johnson passed his physical with the team.
  • Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com passes along another comment from Keim, tweeting that the GM believes there will be four to six Cardinals players picked up by other teams after Arizona cuts them in a couple weeks.
  • Wide receiver LaQuan Williams, who has spent parts of the last few seasons with Baltimore, is working out today for the Seahawks, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Williams also tried out for the Cowboys over the weekend.

Chargers Extend Philip Rivers Through 2019

August 15th, 2015 at 10:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers have agreed to a four-year extension, the club announced (via Twitter). Rivers, who was set to enter the final year of his contract, is now locked up through the 2019 season. The deal is worth $84MM, with $65MM guaranteed, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).Philip Rivers

This new deal brings to end months of speculation about the future of the relationship between Rivers and the Chargers, which was rumored to on its last legs throughout the spring. Reports had indicated that Rivers had no interest in negotiating an extension with the club potentially weighing a move to Los Angeles, and the Chargers reportedly dangled him in trade talks in an effort to move up to the second overall pick in the draft. As recently as April 20, Rivers declined to engage in extension negotiations, but less than two weeks later the team told Rivers that he would not be dealt.

Despite reports of an August 13 deadline for talks to conclude, Rivers yesterday downplayed the notion that a deal was no longer on the table. San Diego obviously had incentive to get something done, as well, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported on Wednesday that the club would use the franchise tag on Rivers in both 2016 and 2017, if need be.

The 33-year-old Rivers has spent the entirety of his 11-year career with the Chargers, passing for more than 35,000 yards and 250 touchdowns during that time. The five-time Pro Bowler has experienced something of a late-career renaissance under the leadership of Mike McCoy, as Rivers has completed 68% of his passes during the past two seasons, averaging more than 4,300 yards and 32 touchdowns during that span. Rivers has made the postseason five times, most recently in 2013, advancing to the AFC Championship Game in 2007.

While the reported guarantees likely aren’t full guarantees — $65MM would be the highest guaranteed figure among quarterbacks by $11MM — Rivers’ new $21MM annual salary would place him fourth among QBs, trailing only Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Ben Roethlisberger. Rivers’ deal looks eerily similar to that of Roethlisberger, who signed a four-year deal worth $87.4MM ($34.25MM guaranteed) earlier this year. The other notable member of that 2004 draft class, Eli Manning, is still waiting on an extension with the Giants.

Working out an extension with Rivers puts a bow on an active Chargers offseason that not only saw the club bring in new weapons for Rivers in the forms of Stevie Johnson and Melvin Gordon, but fortify the offensive line with by re-signing King Dunlap and adding free agent additions Orlando Franklin and Joe Barksdale.

Extra Points: J. Thomas, Chargers, Rex, Jets

August 14th, 2015 at 9:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look around the league as preseason action continues on this Friday evening…

  • Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas fractured a finger during tonight’s preseason game against the Steelers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). It doesn’t sound like he’ll miss any regular season action, however, as Rapoport says the hope is the injury will affect Thomas — Jacksonville’s top free agent addition — “minimally.”
  • More injury news, this time out of San Diego, where head coach Mike McCoy confirms to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter) that guard Johnnie Troutman (broken arm) and linebacker Tourek Williams (broken foot) “will be out for some time.” However, the club doesn’t plan to place either player on injured reserve at this time.
  • Former Jets — and current Bills — head coach Rex Ryan blames the media for his firing, telling Andrea Kremer of HBO that he and Jets owner Woody Johnson‘s friendship couldn’t overcome pressure from the outside. “We talk like brothers. I know Woody never wanted to fire me,” Ryan said. “I could’ve been his coach for 20 years, that’s what Woody wanted. There’s no question Woody wanted that.”
  • On the subject of the Bills claiming linebacker IK Enemkpali (who broke Jets QB Geno Smith‘s jaw), Jets guard Willie Colon wasn’t surprised. “Rex is Rex,” Colon told Brian Costello of the New York Post. Colon played under Ryan from 2013-14.

West Notes: Rivers, Massie, T. Williams

August 14th, 2015 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

A report earlier in training camp indicated that the Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers figured to shelve extension talks until 2016 if the two sides didn’t reach a deal by August 13. However, during Thursday night’s broadcast of the team’s preseason opener, Rivers still sounded open to getting something done this year, if the two sides can reach a compromise, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

“I have a contract for 2015 and I’m excited to be here with the guys and try to go help us win,” Rivers told Alex Flanagan. “If that changes, if there’s more years after that, then I’ll be fired up. But if not, in the short term I’m excited just to be a part of this team this year and try to lead us to win a lot of football games.”

While we wait to see if the Chargers and Rivers can agree to terms on a new deal, let’s check in on some other items from around the NFL’s two West divisions….

  • The police report from Bobby Massie‘s January arrest has been released by the Tempe Police Department, and Jim Walsh of the Arizona Republic passes along some of the troubling details. According to police, Massie – who was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence – said he had been impaired by alcohol every day for the last 10 years, but didn’t believe he had an alcohol problem. The Cardinals‘ starting right tackle is facing a three-game suspension for the incident, though he’s appealing that penalty.
  • Chargers outside linebacker Tourek Williams broke his foot during last night’s game against the Cowboys and will require surgery, a source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). It’s a significant blow for San Diego, since the team wasn’t particularly deep at the position to begin with. Williams could be a candidate for the injured reserve list with the designation to return, depending on his recovery timetable.
  • NFL rules prohibit team owners from owning NBA, NHL, or MLB teams in other markets that have NFL teams, but Rams owner Stan Kroenke continues to hold the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche. As Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, Kroenke has submitted a plan to the NFL to resolve that situation, and it should meet league approval, though details of the proposal aren’t known.

Offseason In Review: San Diego Chargers

August 13th, 2015 at 2:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Leading up to the start of free agency, it was reported that a reunion between cornerback Brandon Flowers and the Chargers was likely. About 48 hours before things got started on March 10th, an agreement was struck. The four-year deal, which pays Flowers a healthy $36.4MM with $18.1MM guaranteed, is slated to keep Flowers in San Diego through the 2018 season. In his first season with the Charger, Flowers finished as the league’s 15th-best CB among 108 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The 29-year-old, who ranked as PFR’s No. 22 free agent, started 14 games, accruing two interceptions in the process. After being released by the Chiefs last summer, Flowers signed on with San Diego on a one-year pact that netted him $3MM. He got himself a significant pay bump this time around.

The Chargers had significant problems on the offensive line in 2014 and they addressed that issue early on with the signing of Orlando Franklin. The 27-year-old Franklin has spent the first four years of his career with the Broncos, playing right tackle from 2011-13 before moving to left guard last season. Franklin excelled in his positional transition, finishing as the league’s 13th-best guard according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

While the O-Line struggled overall, King Dunlap was one of the brighter spots of that unit for San Diego. Way back in February, the Bolts signed him to a multi-year extension. Dunlap, 30, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Eagles before signing with the Chargers in 2013. He has appeared in and started 27 regular-season games for the Bolts, emerging as their most dependable offensive lineman. Dunlap’s teammates named him San Diego’s Lineman of the Year in 2014 and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated him the 23rd-best tackle in the league out of 84 qualifiers. That followed an even more impressive sixth overall ranking in 2013.

In March, Stevie Johnson narrowed down his list of suitors to two teams – the Chargers and Patriots. After taking some time to mull it over, the former Bills notable went with San Diego. Johnson, 28, spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Bills before being sent to San Francisco a year ago in a trade. While the Kentucky product didn’t make a real impact for the 49ers, he enjoyed some success in Buffalo, putting up three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2010 to 2012, and grabbing 23 touchdowns during that three-year stretch.

Another notable wide receiver, Jacoby Jones, will be joining the Bolts this year, after signing a two-year free agent deal. Jones, 30, returned kicks and punts for Baltimore in 2014, but his role on offense was significantly reduced — after being targeted 68 times and hauling in 37 passes in 2013, Jones received just 18 targets and caught nine passes in 2014. He also averaged 30.6 yards on 32 kickoff returns, and 9.2 yards on 30 punt returns. For what it’s worth, the Ravens say they’re confident that they can replicate Jones’ production on special teams. Jones, meanwhile, will aim to prove that he is more than just the product of a good system.

Jimmy Wilson, 28, spent the first four years of his career in Miami, appearing in 60 games as a Dolphin and intercepting four passes. He totaled just eight starts during his first three seasons before amassing a career-high 13 in 2014. Eight of those starts came at cornerback, while the other five were from the safety position. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) wasn’t impressed with Wilson’s work as a corner last year, ranking him 94th out of 108 qualifiers. However, the site rated him a far better 34th out of 87 safeties.

Notable losses:

In February, the Chargers made it known that they wanted to retain Ryan Mathews. However, in March, we didn’t hear much about a possible reunion. Early on in the free agent process, Mathews paid a visit to the Eagles and the rest, as they say, is history. Considered an injury-prone player for the first three seasons of his career, Mathews finally stayed healthy and put it all together for the Chargers in 2013, rushing for a career-high 1,255 yards. He was unable to keep that run of good health going in 2014 though, playing just eight games for San Diego due to injuries. The former 12th overall pick can be one of the league’s best backs when he’s at 100%, but we haven’t seen much of that lately.

Eddie Royal caught 62 balls for 778 receiving yards with the Chargers last season and both marks were his best since his rookie season with the Broncos in 2008. The 29-year-old put himself on the map with his tremendous rookie performance in 2008 and became a focal point of the Bolts’ offense over the last two seasons. While the stats have come and gone for Royal since 2013 (no wide receiver really sees consistent targets in Philip Rivers‘ offense), he had proven himself to be a reliable option. Royal signed on with the Bears in the spring.

Before the start of free agency, the Chargers informed Dwight Freeney that they wouldn’t be pursuing another deal with him this offseason. Freeney didn’t rack up the same gaudy sacks totals with the Chargers that he did with Indianapolis as he posted just four total sacks from 2013-14. There’s evidence that he still has plenty of football left in him despite the unimpressive sack totals, but the Chargers felt that they wanted to move in a different direction. As of this writing, Freeney remains on the open market.

Even though he saw less than 400 snaps on the Chargers’ defense last season, Andrew Gachkar drew a significant amount of interest around the league since free agency began in March. The Vikings, Panthers, and Raiders all expressed interest in 26-year-old linebacker, who had spent his entire career in San Diego. While he started only five games in 2014, Gachkar was a key contributor on special teams, where he played on 217 snaps and posted 12 tackles. Ultimately, he got a two-year deal from Dallas.

Marcus Gilchrist was drafted by San Diego in the second round of the 2011 draft, and he started all 16 games for the club in each of the past two seasons. He fared poorly according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) in 2014, ranking 72nd out of 87 eligible safeties. However, he graded out much better in 2013, finishing as the 20th-best safety out of 88. He has tallied five interceptions in his four-year career, so he has not been much of a playmaker despite his strong tackling abilities and mentally-sound play. The Chargers wanted to keep him, but they didn’t want him as bad as the Jets.

Longtime Chargers offensive lineman Jeromey Clary announced his retirement shortly after the New Year. Clary, who spent the 2014 season on the team’s reserve/PUP list after undergoing hip surgery, said that he had been planning on retirement for a long time. Although he was a sixh-round pick, Clary soon became a mainstay in San Diego’s lineup, starting 93 of the 103 games he played for the team during his career, primarily at right tackle.

Nick Hardwick, 33, served as San Diego’s starting center ever since being selected by the Chargers in the third round of the 2004 draft, the same year the team added Phillip Rivers. Even though Rivers continues to be the team’s franchise QB, Hardwick decided to call it a career in February. This past season, a neck injury forced Hardwick to the injured reserve list after Week 1, wiping out a streak of 67 consecutive starts. Considering he had already mulled the possibility of retiring a year ago, and had endured a neck injury in the past, the news did not come as a huge surprise. Hardwick’s contract also expired this winter, so the Chargers aren’t carrying any cap hit on their books for him in 2015.

Chad Rinehart regressed significantly last year after a decent initial campaign in San Diego, ranking as the fifth-worst guard Pro Football Focus (subscription required) measured. In March, San Diego decided that it wouldn’t give Rinehart a third year in powder blue. San Diego saved $3.25MM in cap room but incured a dead-money penalty of $1MM by cutting him.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 first-round pick (No. 15; RB Melvin Gordon) from the 49ers in exchange for a 2015 first-round pick (No. 17; DL Arik Armstead), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 117; TE Blake Bell), and a 2016 fifth-round pick.

Extensions and restructures:

Corey Liuget, who turned 25 in March, has been a key contributor at defensive end for the Chargers since being selected in the first round of the 2011 draft. The former 18th overall pick has started 61 regular season contests for the club in his four seasons, including all 16 games in each of the last three years. In 2014, Liuget notched a career-high 57 tackles and recorded 4.5 sacks to go along with a pair of forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In June, the Chargers made Liuget a rich man and locked him down through 2020.

Draft picks:

  • 1-15: Melvin Gordon, RB (Wisconsin): Signed
  • 2-48: Denzel Perryman, ILB (Miami): Signed
  • 3-83: Craig Mager, CB (Texas State): Signed
  • 5-153: Kyle Emanuel, OLB (North Dakota State): Signed
  • 6-192: Darius Philon, DL (Arkansas): Signed

Melvin Gordon was widely viewed as the best running back in the 2015 class and many believed that there was a significant dropoff between him and the next one down on the board. That’s why the Chargers took no chances and traded up from No. 17 to grab the Wisconsin star. Gordon gained 2,587 yards on the ground last season, the second-most in FBS history behind the 2,628 yards put up by an Oklahoma State tailback by the name of Barry Sanders.

Other:

  • Hired former Falcons DC Mike Nolan as linebackers coach.
  • Learned TE Antonio Gates would be suspended four games (performance-enhancing substances).
  • Exercised 2016 fifth-year option for LB Melvin Ingram ($7.751MM).
  • Signed nine players to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Signed 21 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

On July 2nd a rash of NFL suspensions came down and none were more surprising that the four-game suspension levied upon Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, who popped positive for PEDs. Gates, the Chargers‘ all-time leader in catches, will now cede the starting tight end job to understudy Ladarius Green, someone who many feel is a future star.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Philip Rivers, QB: $17,416,668
  2. Eric Weddle, S: $10,100,000
  3. Antonio Gates, TE: $9,762,500
  4. Corey Liuget, DT: $7,977,000
  5. Donald Butler, LB: $5,480,000
  6. Malcom Floyd, WR: $4,716,668
  7. Orlando Franklin, G: $4,400,000
  8. Mike Scifres, P: $4,347,500
  9. Brandon Flowers, CB: $4,250,000
  10. King Dunlap, LT: $4,125,000

In recent years, the Chargers have been a good but not great team that has yet to really solidify their status as championship contenders. Now, with several notable names leaving Denver this offseason and uncertainty in both Oakland and Kansas City, the Bolts could be in position to win the AFC West for the first time since 2009.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Extra Points: Rivers, L.A., Enemkpali, Tabb

August 12th, 2015 at 10:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Sources continue to tell Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that they don’t expect Philip Rivers and the Chargers to agree to terms on an extension before the season, though it’s not unfathomable that the two sides will reach a compromise. According to Acee, the Chargers and Rivers both eventually want to work out an agreement that will allow the quarterback to retire with the team, but disbursement of guaranteed money in the third year of any deal is among the current sticking points in negotiations.

Eric Williams of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears from a league source that San Diego is willing to guarantee the third year of Rivers’ new contract, which is common for franchise quarterbacks, and Acee acknowledges that such a detail is unlikely to be a long-term roadblock. But if the two sides don’t agree on the structure of the extension soon, they may wait until 2016 to get something done.

Here are a few more Wednesday night odds and ends from around the NFL:

  • During the owners’ meeting in Chicago this week to discuss possible relocation to Los Angeles, both the Carson and Inglewood groups made strong presentations, and both projects have their share of supporters, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). According to Cole, a large group of owners supports the Raiders and Chargers‘ joint Carson proposal, since it would solve the “California dilemma” in one fell swoop. On the other hand, a vocal contingent of owners – including Cowboys owner Jerry Jones – support Stan Kroenke‘s Inglewood proposal, since they feel the Rams owner’s deep pockets would make the project work.
  • Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times also has a recap of this week’s meeting regarding L.A., and touches on several of the same points as Cole. According to Farmer, many owners believe Kroenke has the best location and stadium plan, but he’s less popular among his peers than Chargers owner Dean Spanos, and St. Louis has done more than San Diego and Oakland to keep its franchise.
  • Explaining his decision to claim IK Enemkpali off waivers today from the Jets, Bills head coach Rex Ryan told reporters that Enemkpali “was a good teammate” last year in New York, adding that there’s no guarantee the former sixth-round pick will make Buffalo’s regular season roster (Twitter links via Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News and ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak).
  • According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Ryan remains a fan of the player who Enemkpali cold-cocked — Mehta writes that, after landing the Bills‘ coaching job this winter, Ryan wondered aloud to friends if the Jets would trade Geno Smith to Buffalo.
  • Saints rookie tight end Jack Tabb underwent surgery this week to repair a torn ACL, a source tells Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Waived last Friday by the team, Tabb is currently on New Orleans’ injured reserve list and will miss the 2015 season.

West Notes: A. Davis, Rivers, Foles, Sendlein

August 12th, 2015 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

When former 49ers right tackle Anthony Davis announced his decision to leave the team earlier this offseason, it wasn’t considered a permanent retirement. Davis has since expressed a desire to return to football in 2016 after a year away, but coach Jim Tomsula isn’t thinking about a reunion just yet, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes.

“First of all, I’m not thinking about the playing side with Anthony,” Tomsula said. “He’s taking care of Anthony. I’m excited about hearing that he’d like to come back with football. I think that speaks volumes of where he’s at and how he’s feeling. That’s a different time and a different place. It does make you feel good. Obviously, things are going in the right direction for him.”

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two West divisions:

  • If the Chargers don’t work out a new contract with Philip Rivers before the season begins, the team is “fully prepared” to use the franchise tag on him in 2016 and – if necessary – 2017, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. According to La Canfora, the two sides have made significant progress in extension negotiations, but there are still at least one or two issues holding up a potential agreement.
  • La Canfora also passes along several details on Nick Foles‘ extension with the Rams, reporting that the deal includes $13.8MM in fully guaranteed money. The contract could void in 2017 if Foles meets certain team and individual goals, and he could also make up to $4.5MM in incentives based on individual and team achievements (all Twitter links).
  • Center Lyle Sendlein‘s one-year deal with the Cardinals is worth $1.4MM with $500K fully guaranteed, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. With playing time incentives, the center could earn close to $2MM, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said, “I’m not ready for retirement and I have a lot of football left in me.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Latest On Los Angeles Relocation

August 11th, 2015 at 7:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams, Raiders, and Chargers will learn their fate regarding a potential move to Los Angeles before this season’s Super Bowl, according to Carmen Policy, who is pushing the joint stadium project being proposed by the latter two teams.

“We expect the league to have a decision on who is going where and St. Louis before the Super Bowl,” said Policy (via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). “Now, it could happen this year. But we’ve been pretty well-schooled on the fact that even if it doesn’t happen this year, it’ll happen before the Super Bowl.”

Here are the latest developments on the Los Angeles situation..

  • Policy claims that a combo of the Chargers and Raiders in Los Angeles would create a “megamarket” ranging from Santa Barbara to Mexico, adding millions of fans, Pelissero tweets.
  • If the Carson project for the Raiders and Chargers is approved, Policy says that 2019 is a realistic start, Pelissero tweets. Policy doesn’t feel that an opening in 2018 is realistic.
  • NFL exec Eric Grubman says there “has been no viable proposal” made to the Raiders from the city of Oakland, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Grubman says there are a lot of open questions regarding the city of San Diego’s plan for the Chargers, but that city has made “significant” progress, Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times tweets.
  • The Rams are claiming St. Louis breached their lease by not meeting first tier requirements, thus giving team the right to move, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets.
  • The cities of St. Louis, Oakland, and San Diego will have an audience with the owners in October, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. After the presentations on their respective projects, the Raiders, Rams and Chargers left the room to allow the other 29 clubs to discuss what they saw, Breer tweets.
  • The NFL’s relocation policy allows space for moving teams to pay a transfer fee to the league’s other owners and Mike Florio of PFT says that will be a big factor in who gets a seat in this game of musical chairs.
  • The Chargers want Los Angeles in the worst way, Jill Lieber Steeg of U-T San Diego opines.

Extension Before Season Unlikely For Rivers

August 11th, 2015 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

There have been conflicting reports on whether or not Philip Rivers and the Chargers have a set deadline to reach an extension this year, with one report suggesting the two sides would move on if there’s no agreement in place by this Thursday, while another indicated there’s no timetable set in stone. Either way, the two sides may end up waiting to complete a deal.

According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter), it “appears virtually certain” that the Chargers and Rivers won’t agree to terms on a new contract before the season gets underway. Acee adds that there’s “at least one sticking point” in the negotiations, though it’s not clear what that sticking point is — years, annual salary, and guaranteed money are among the most obvious candidates, though the two sides may disagree on more specific contract language.

Rivers, 33, is coming off a 2014 season in which he threw for 4,286 yards, 31 touchdowns, and a league-high 18 interceptions. The five-time Pro Bowler led San Diego to a 9-7 record, narrowly missing the postseason, despite the fact that the team was missing several key players due to injuries, and Rivers himself was banged up for much of the season. Rivers, who is due a $15.8MM base salary in 2015, is entering the final year of his contract.

If Rivers and the Chargers don’t come to an agreement within the next few weeks, and decide to shelve talks until after the season, the team would still have a few months to negotiate with its quarterback, and would also have the franchise tag at its disposal, if it came to that.

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