Los Angeles Chargers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Los Angeles, Cardinals, Levy

August 10th, 2015 at 9:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, San Diego city officials are meeting with NFL today in Schaumburg, Illinois, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. The city of St. Louis has already met with the league. He adds that there is no meeting scheduled as of yet between the NFL and the city of Oakland, because there’s been no progress on that front (link). Here’s more from around the NFL..

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians says that he’s not happy with the play of his running backs and will discuss options for outside help with GM Steve Keim, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets. When asked if Ray Rice will be among the options considered, Arians said no (link).
San Diego officials announced a stadium financing plan that would require $750MM in private money from the Chargers and NFL with $350MM in public funds, Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego tweets. Meanwhile, Chargers attorney Mark Fabiani struck back with a strongly worded statement that refuted the viability of the plan (via Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, Twitter links).
The early word from Chicago is that Carmen Policy should not be underestimated when it comes to the Los Angeles situation, Mike Florio of PFT tweets. Policy, the longtime NFL exec, is pushing the Carson stadium project.
The Lions were smart to get their extension with DeAndre Levy done before Lavonte David reached agreement with the Buccaneers, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. Corry reasons that David’s deal might have complicated things for Detroit.
The Ravens lost ace returner Jacoby Jones this offseason but they’re not sweating it because their system has been successful in producing many different quality returners, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. Currently, Michael Campanaro, Asa Jackson and DeAndre Carter are listed as the top three on the team’s unofficial depth chart. Lardarius Webb and Steve Smith also have expressed an interest in running back kicks.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/15

August 7th, 2015 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:

With Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman both nursing injuries, the Falcons have bolstered their backfield depth by signing running back Michael Ford, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The LSU product spent some time with the Bears in 2013.
Offensive lineman Ben Heenan has been waived by the Colts after suffering an MCL injury, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. The team reached an injury settlement with Heenan, so he won’t go on the IR if the clears waivers. To replace Heenan, the Colts signed free agent guard Kitt O’Brien.
The Chargers have swapped one offensive lineman for another at the back of their roster, waiving rookie Ben Beckwith with an injury designation, and signing undrafted free agent Melvin Meggs, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
Earlier this week, the Texans released offensive lineman Will Yeatman with an injury settlement. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the settlement was worth just over $68K.
Wilson also reports (via Twitter) that wide receiver Eli Rogers has been placed on the Steelers‘ injured reserve list after going unclaimed on waivers.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Chancellor, L.A.

August 6th, 2015 at 8:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s look at the NFC West..

Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Facebook) hears that Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor could end his holdout if he is better cash flow over the first two years of the remaining three on his current deal. A team tight against the cap but somewhat cash-rich like the Seahawks could get that done by converting the majority of his base salary over the next two years ($9.65MM) to a signing bonus, she posits. As Anderson reported earlier today, Chancellor is prepared to take his holdout into the regular season if necessary.
Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears that the Seahawks will not do any kind of new deal with the safety unless that deal is highly favorable for the club and ties him up for the rest of his career. Despite Seattle’s stance, GM John Schneider is keeping negotiations peaceful. The solution, Cole says, could be a “band-aid” deal, like they did with Marshawn Lynch. To satisfy Lynch last year, the Seahawks moved money from the back-end of the contract to the current year.
Sources have told Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports that, at next Tuesday’s special meeting in Illinois, NFL owners will discuss implementing a program to allow fans to make deposits to get on a waiting list for tickets at a temporary stadium in Los Angeles before the end of the calendar year. The goal would be to start building a season-ticket base for the 2016 season now, rather than waiting until it’s clear which, and how many, teams will be making the move. The Rams are one of the teams in the mix to make the move, of course, but the Chargers and Raiders could also wind up in L.A.

Community Tailgate: Who Will Win AFC West?

August 6th, 2015 at 6:02pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still a few weeks away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we want to know who you think will win the AFC West in 2015. The Broncos have won the division four years in a row but there’s reason to think that we could see a changing of the guard this season. For starters, familiar faces such as tight end Julius Thomas and nose tackle Terrance Knighton are out of the picture and it’s fair to wonder if Peyton Manning, now entering his age-39 season, can still be an elite quarterback at this stage of his career. There are also questions on the defensive line. Still, with Manning under center, Wade Phillips calling plays on the other side of the ball, and a not-too-difficult schedule, the Broncos are the favorites in the eyes of many.

There’s still plenty of uncertainty about the future of the Chargers given the talk of a possible move to Los Angeles and Philip Rivers‘ contract situation, but they did address their offensive line troubles this offseason. With guard Orlando Franklin in the fold and powerful tackle King Dunlap re-signed, Rivers should have a much easier time moving his offense down the field in 2015. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt that Franklin was plucked away from Denver, which theoretically could take a bit out of the reigning AFC West champs.

The Chiefs’ offense sputtered in 2014 but they may have found a solution when they gave Jeremy Maclin a five-year, $55MM deal this offseason. With the additions of guards Paul Fanaika and Ben Grubbs, KC has also gone to great lengths to address the offensive line. Things are looking up for the Chiefs, even with a rigorous start to their schedule.

Meanwhile, in Oakland, star quarterback Derek Carr has a bonafide No. 1 receiver available to him in rookie Amari Cooper and a veteran wideout in Michael Crabtree who is looking to reestablish himself. And while the Raiders didn’t reel in the big fish they were targeting on the open market, they did sign notables such as center Rodney Hudson, linebacker Curtis Lofton, defensive tackle Dan Williams, safety Nate Allen, and running back Roy Helu.

Who do you think will win the AFC West in 2015? Let us know in the comment section below!

Extra Points: Rivers, Ravens, Levy, Mingo

August 6th, 2015 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple reports, including one earlier this week from the San Diego Union-Tribune, have suggested that Philip Rivers and the Chargers have established a deadline for their contract extension negotiations, with the quarterback set to play out the final year of his contract if no deal is reached by next Thursday. However, Rivers downplayed the notion that there’s a hard deadline to get something done, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes.

“My mentality has been the same since March, which is I’m playing this season right here,” Rivers said. “Like I said a few weeks ago, if something happens, it does. But I don’t think you should hold your breath for an update any time soon.”

As we wait to see whether Rivers and the Chargers can work something out this month, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from across the league…

Having been released yesterday by the 49ers, cornerback Chris Cook already has his first meeting lined up. According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter), Cook will visit John Harbaugh and the Ravens after playing for Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco last year.
Financial details of DeAndre Levy‘s extension with the Lions still aren’t available, but Levy acknowledged that the deal will make him the highest-paid 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. That means Levy’s deal will be worth more than the $6.75MM per year K.J. Wright is earning.
Browns linebacker Barkevious Mingo is undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee today, and is expected to be sidelined for about a month, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. If all goes well, Mingo figures to remain on the active roster and should be able to return for the team’s Week 1 game.
It’s time for Ray Rice to be given a chance to return to the NFL, Christine Brennan of USA Today opines. Brennan feels that the former Ravens tailback has been more contrite in his apology and more aware of the ramifications what he did than the likes of Greg Hardy or Adrian Peterson. Several teams have question marks in their backfield at this time, so it’s not hard to imagine someone at least considering Rice, though the general consensus is that the veteran has lost a step.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

West Notes: Wagner, Floyd, Chancellor

August 5th, 2015 at 7:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders, Chargers, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Los Angeles Sports Council are hosting a luncheon in downtown L.A. on August 17th, Vincent Bonsignore of the L.A. Daily News tweets. At the luncheon, Carmen Policy will give an update on the Chargers’ and Raiders’ combined effort to build an NFL stadium in L.A. (link). Here’s more from the West divisions..

Good news for the Cardinals. There was word earlier tonight that wide receiver Michael Floyd broke multiple fingers during practice today, an injury that would have left him sidelined for several weeks, including regular season games. As it turns out, those fingers are only dislocated, and Floyd will only miss 3-4 weeks, a team official tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

DeAndre Levy‘s contract extension with the Lions will likely be more relevant to Lavonte David‘s negotiations with the Buccaneers than Bobby Wagner‘s talks with the Seahawks, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. Earlier today, the Lions and Levy reached agreement on a brand new four-year deal.

Seahawks GM John Schneider told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that there’s no animosity between safety Kam Chancellor and the club. The GM has been in touch with Chancellor’s reps, but he can’t say if or when he’ll report to camp.

Stadium Updates: L.A., St. Louis, San Antonio

August 5th, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

The fate of the Rams, Raiders, and Chargers beyond the 2015 season remains up in the air, and NFL owners are scheduled to meet next week to touch base on where St. Louis, San Diego, Oakland, and Los Angeles stand on new stadiums. Here are a few of the latest updates on stadium projects and potential relocation:

The NFL recently approached several Los Angeles stadiums about the possibility of temporarily housing an NFL franchise while a new stadium was built in the L.A. area. However, as Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, the league’s proposal hasn’t generated a whole lot of interest. Last month, we heard that the Rose Bowl wouldn’t serve as an interim home for an NFL team, and Farmer indicates that the StubHub Center is also out of the running.
According to Farmer, the Coliseum is the only Los Angeles venue to publicly express interest in working with the NFL on the matter. The Dodgers’ and Angels’ stadiums may also still be possibilities, but there would be plenty of scheduling issues to sort out in both cases, since the MLB and NFL seasons overlap. The NFL wanted proposal requests submitted by today, but neither baseball stadium is formally participating in that process, writes Farmer.
Earlier in the week, St. Louis Circuit Judge Thomas Frawley voided a city ordinance requiring a public vote to approve the use of tax dollars for funding a new football stadium in St. Louis. As Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch outlines, that was a huge victory for the city’s stadium task force, and next week’s meeting with the NFL looms as an “important checkpoint” for St. Louis. So far, the city has made much more progress than either San Diego or Oakland on a new stadium.
San Antonio city manager Sheryl Sculley tells W. Scott Bailey of the San Antonio Business Journal that the city has “certainly raised the attention of the NFL” by continuing to pursue the Raiders. San Antonio is another city that will be keeping a close eye on the owners’ meetings next week, according to Sculley: “We expect to hear what (the Raiders’) plans are for the 2016 season after that meeting.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/15

August 4th, 2015 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s minor moves..

The Eagles waived/injured linebacker Travis Long, who tore his ACL yesterday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. If unclaimed, he’ll revert to the team’s IR list.
The Patriots waived A.J. Derby, a sixth-round pick out of Arkansas, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
The Jets signed receiver Arthur Williams and waived receiver Jarrod West, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets.
The Dolphins were awarded wide receiver Kevin Cone off waivers from the Browns, James Walker of ESPN.com tweets. They also cut guard Dionte Savage.
The Patriots announced that they have signed linebacker L.J. Fort, linebacker Cameron Gordon, fullback Eric Kettani, and defensive lineman A.J. Pataiali’I.
Panthers wide receiver Stephen Hill officially cleared waivers and has been placed on the team’s IR, Jonathan Jones of The Observer tweets.
The Lions have filled their last roster spot with the signing of cornerback Ethan Davis out of Troy, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets.
The Cardinals cut cornerback Damond Smith while signing cornerback Jonte Green, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets.
The Chargers announced that they signed corner Jordan Mabin and released receiver Demetrius Wilson.
The Eagles announced that they released wide receiver Devante Davis while signing fellow wideout Josh Reese.
The Lions cut Jerell Harris, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/15

August 3rd, 2015 at 9:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves and signings in the NFL..

Cowboys linebackers Justin Anderson and guard Reshod Fortenberry were waived/injured, Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram tweets. Linebackers Jonathan Brown and Ka’Lial Glaud were signed.
The Patriots have agreed to bring back second-year linebacker Cameron Gordon to address some depth concerns, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. The Patriots also announced that they have claimed guard Harland Gunn off waivers from the Falcons.
The Chiefs announced that they have signed former Missouri wide receiver L’Damian Washington.
The Patriots waived-injured Kevin Hughes and cut Vince Taylor with a failed physical designation, Wilson tweets.
The Packers announced that they have signed wide receiver Ed Williams.
The Cowboys waived-injured Justin Jackson, who tore his ACL over the weekend, Wilson tweets.
The Broncos signed wideout Corbin Louks, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. Louks, who was cut by the Chiefs in May, will fill the roster spot previously filled by Kyle Williams, who has hit the IR.
The Chargers signed former Packers defensive tackle Luther Robinson, Wilson tweets.
The Browns announced that they have signed running backs Timothy Flanders and Jalen Parmele and waived wide receiver Kevin Cone and defensive back Brandon Stephens, Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal tweets.
The Bills have signed free agent cornerback Merrill Noel, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter). Noel was released by Buffalo back in June.

Earlier Updates:

The Chiefs waived backup defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, as Blair Kerkhoff of The Kansas City Star tweets. Worthy signed a futures deal with KC back in December. Worthy, a 2012 second-round pick out of Michigan State, tore his ACL in the final game of the 2012 season and played only 12 snaps in 2013. Worthy was traded from the Packers to the Pats in August of 2014 but he did not get on the field last season.
The Eagles signed rookie free agent wide receiver Mike Johnson, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The Delaware product participated in the Eagles rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis and, apparently, he impressed the right people.
Linebacker/defensive end Austen Lane, who had stints with the Jaguars, Lions, and Bears, took to Twitter to announce his retirement.

Chargers, Rivers Set Deadline For Extension

August 3rd, 2015 at 5:42pm CST by Zachary Links

One way or another, we’re about to get some clarity on Philip Rivers‘ contract situation. If the quarterback and the Chargers have not agreed to an extension by August 13th, the team’s first preseason game, then they aren’t expected to this year, sources tell Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego.

Despite the deadline, Gehlken writes that talks between the two sides are considered amicable and is thought to be a general understanding that talks will be revisited in 2016 if no deal is completed soon. Recently, it was reported that Rivers is hopeful that a new deal can get hammered out.

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 year. Rivers is due a $15.8MM base salary in 2015 and his contract expires next March.

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