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Los Angeles Chargers News & Rumors

Latest On Kroenke’s Inglewood Proposal

March 22nd, 2015 at 9:57am CST by Rory Parks

The March NFL owners meetings begin tomorrow in Phoenix, and as Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times writes, Rams owner Stan Kroenke is bringing finished schematic plans for his proposed Inglewood stadium with him. Kroenke’s proposal would put a futuristic, highly-interactive and highly-integrated stadium in Los Angeles, which has not hosted an NFL franchise in 21 years.

Of course, the assumption is that Kroenke, if he were able to build his $1.86 billion palace, would bring the Rams to LA. But there are complications. For one, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, there are some in the league who want to “make returning football to Los Angeles a California solution — involving the Chargers and/or Raiders. Not the Rams.” The Chargers and Raiders joined forces last month and announced their plan to share a stadium in Carson.

Meanwhile, there has been progress in the efforts to build a new stadium on the riverfront in St. Louis, but as Thomas notes, the land acquisition and financing necessary for those plans to come to fruition are yet to be done. Kroenke, on the other hand, has already purchased the land in Inglewood, and while he is not quite ready to put a shovel in the ground, Farmer writes that the major pieces of the project are now fully drawn. It would take less than three years to build the stadium, and any team that relocates to Los Angeles could play in the Coliseum or Rose Bowl in the meantime.

One of the more interesting aspects about Kroenke’s proposal is that it is “two-team compliant.” Although Kroenke has enough money to fund the project on his own and does not need to partner with another franchise, the NFL believes Los Angeles is a two-team market and would like any stadium built in the area to be capable of hosting two clubs. Kroenke undoubtedly does not wish to share the wealth generated by a project for which he is assuming the risk by himself, but it is nonetheless an interesting twist in an already fascinating saga.

The league has said that no team would be allowed to relocate before the 2016 season, and it is unlikely that any vote to move a franchise–such a move would require support from three-quarters of the league’s 32 owners–would take place before the fall. But this week, what we have known for months will become even more clear: Los Angeles is primed to get an NFL team for the first time in over two decades, and while San Diego, Oakland, and St. Louis have all made progress in their efforts to keep the Rams out of Hollywood, Kroenke continues to lead the race.

L.A. Stadium Notes: Carson, Oakland, Coliseum City

March 21st, 2015 at 4:32pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Rams, Raiders, and Chargers are still the three teams being thrown around in rumors surrounding a relocation to the Los Angeles market. Last we checked in, Raiders owner Mark Davis mentioned that other cities would be involved as possible relocation destinations, including St. Louis should the Rams move to California.

Here are some recent updates surrounding the cities attempting to find a new team:

  • A proposal to build a new stadium in Carson that would be home to both the Chargers and Raiders took the next step today as a petition with 14,000 signatures was submitted in support of the initiative, reports Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times. That is more than twice the signatures needed to move forward, but less than the 22,000 a rival stadium proposal in Inglewood was able to gather earlier this year.
  • The City of Oakland and Alameda County will work together to keep the Raiders in Oakland, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. San Diego-based developer Floyd Kephart is trying to finance a project to redevelop the Coliseum complex, and with cooperation from the city, county, and ultimately the Raiders, the grounds could eventually include a new football stadium.
  • For more information about Kephart’s plan for “Coliseum City” including his personal credentials and his vision for keeping the Raiders in town, Matthew Arts of InsideBayArea.com profiles the project and the man who has become the driving force behind it.

AFC Notes: Delmas, Broncos, Steelers

March 20th, 2015 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some notes from the AFC on Friday.

West Notes: McDonald, Thomas, Mays

March 19th, 2015 at 7:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Multiple teams are interested in former 49ers starting defensive lineman Ray McDonald, according to SFGate.com’s Eric Branch. The 49ers released McDonald, who played eight seasons in San Francisco with the last four coming as a starter, last December after his arrest for suspicion of felony domestic violence.

The 30-year-old McDonald’s pursuit of a career elsewhere will probably have to wait until his case is resolved, agent Tom Condon told Branch.

In other news across the league’s Western divisions …

  • The latest surprising setback to the 49ers’ linebacking corps comes from an offseason injury, not retirement. Backup outside linebacker Chase Thomas showed up at Stanford’s pro day limping after tearing his ACL at an offseason workout at the university, Branch reports. The Stanford alum played five games with the 49ers last year, oscillating between the practice squad and the 53-man roster. According to Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman, Thomas will be the ninth 49er forced to recover from an ACL tear this offseason, joining notable names NaVorro Bowman, who missed all of last season after suffering his tear in the 2013 NFC championship game, Darnell Dockett and running back Kendall Hunter.
  • Journeyman linebacker Joe Mays will visit the Chargers, Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez notes on Twitter. Mays spent the 2014 season in the Chiefs‘ 3-4 defense after previously suiting up for the Eagles and Broncos. The 5-foot-11 inside linebacker who’s three months away from 30 missed half of last year due to wrist surgery.
  • Former Bills starting tackle Chris Hairston is also visiting the Chargers today, ESPN’s John Keim said (via Twitter). A fourth-round pick in 2011, Hairston started 15 games his first two seasons and played in 16 last year as a reserve.

Chargers Sign Patrick Robinson

March 19th, 2015 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

Another free agent cornerback has found a new home, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who reports that the Chargers have signed ex-Saints corner Patrick Robinson to a one-year deal worth up to $3MM.

Per Wilson, Robinson’s deal includes a $1MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary, along with up to $1MM in playing-time incentives. $250K of the veteran’s base salary is guaranteed, making for $1.25MM in total guarantees.

Robinson, a 2010 first-round pick, served primarily as the Saints’ nickelback in 2014, and performed well in that role. According to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), Robinson limited opposing quarterbacks to a 75.4 passer rating and just one touchdown to two interceptions on passes thrown into his coverage.

The Chargers drafted a cornerback – Jason Verrett – in the first round a year ago, and re-signed Brandon Flowers to a lucrative new deal earlier this month, so Robinson will likely find himself playing a similar nickel role in San Diego in 2015. The five-year veteran, who reportedly visited the Steelers several days ago, looks like a nice depth addition for the Chargers’ defense.

Extra Points: 49ers, Hardy, Peterson, Rivers

March 18th, 2015 at 10:22pm CST by Ben Levine

49ers CEO Jed York appeared on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday to discuss a number of different topics, including the surprise retirement of Chris Borland (via SFGate.com):

“We respect it, and I love Chris. He’s a great kid. And it’s certainly a surprise to us and I think to some of his teammates. But you have to respect the decision. If he fears for his health and safety going forward, I don’t ever want somebody to go out there and do something that they’re not comfortable doing. And I would never try to talk somebody out of retirement. I know it wasn’t an easy decision for him, but we respect him and we wish him the best.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

  • Greg Hardy spurned the Buccaneers for the Cowboys earlier today, but as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, it may have been the organization that rejected the player. “At the end of the day, we didn’t feel good about it,” said general manager Jason Licht.
  • Count Larry Fitzgerald among those who’d like to see Adrian Peterson wearing a Cardinals jersey next season. The veteran wideout told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that adding the All-Pro running back would be a “game-changer” for the organization. “Obviously, he’s an MVP-caliber player,” Fitzgerald said. “Everybody knows that. Any team he ends up with — or if he stays with the Vikings — is going to have a great back. If he was to come play here, it would obviously mean a tremendous amount for our ballclub.”
  • Following news that Philip Rivers wouldn’t consider a new deal with the Chargers until the end of the 2015 season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the organization has no intention of letting the quarterback depart (via Around The NFL on Twitter). Rapoport notes (on Twitter) that both sides have plenty of leverage during negotiations.
  • CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that the Bills actually signed wideout Percy Harvin to a three-year, $24MM deal, but the contract voids to a one-year, $6MM pact. As WGR550’s Joe Buscaglia points out on Twitter, this saves the organization $2MM in 2015 cap through “signing bonus proration,” meaning the player’s cap hit for this season will be $4MM as opposed to $6MM. Furthermore, if the Bills decide to void the contract following 2015 (which they’re expected to do), they’ll get hit with $2MM in dead money.

Draft Notes: Winston, Borland, Visits

March 18th, 2015 at 9:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted draft notes from around the league…

  • Jameis Winston‘s decision to skip out on the NFL draft may have been based on pressure from the league. According to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, the NFL may have been fearing “protests” regarding Winston’s selection in the draft, with the league advising the prospect to keep a “low profile.”
  • Following the surprise retirement of Chris Borland, Cole says teams are becoming cautious of players who are “too smart for football.” Specifically, players who have future careers outside of football may be less desirable than players who are “desperate” to become professional athletes.
  • Georgia running back Todd Gurley told reporters that he’s set to meet with the Panthers after having already met with the Lions, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Gurley revealed that he’s also meeting with five other teams.
  • Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon is scheduled to meet with the Ravens, according to Yahoo’s Rand Getlin (via Twitter).
  • Meanwhile, Getlin reports (on Twitter) that Duke wideout Jamison Crowder is gaining some interest, as the player has workouts planned with the Patriots, Buccaneers, Panthers and Texans.
  • Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes told ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein that he’s set to meet with the Vikings and Jaguars in April (Twitter link). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the defensive back also has private workouts scheduled with the Titans and Panthers.
  • According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com (via Twitter), Boise State running back Jay Ajayi had dinner with the Chargers brass on Tuesday night.
  • The Jets have scheduled a one-on-one meeting with Missouri defensive end Shane Ray, according to Pauline (on Twitter).
  • Purdue tight end Gabe Holmes had a private workout today with the Cardinals, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The session went well, as Wilson says Holmes “caught everything.”
  • Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty has visits set up with the Cowboys, Chargers and Rams, according to Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez (via Twitter).

Chargers Sign Mitch Unrein

March 18th, 2015 at 7:44pm CST by Ben Levine

7:44pm: The two-year deal is worth $1.9MM, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (on Twitter).

6:53pm: The Chargers have added some reinforcement to their defensive line, as the team announced that they have signed defensive tackle Mitch Unrein. The 27-year-old’s deal is for two years.

The former undrafted free agent originally caught on with the Texans in 2010, and he soon found a home in Denver thereafter. The former Wyoming standout spent four seasons with the Broncos, making 54 appearances. He was relatively productive in 2012 and 2013, nearing 400 snaps in both campaigns while compiling a combined 40 tackles. He found himself in a reduced role in 2014, as Unrein played only 46 snaps in eight games.

Unrein reached restricted free agency last season, and he ultimately accepted the Broncos’ tender at about $1.4MM. Members of the Broncos organization, including general manager John Elway, had previously expressed interest in retaining Unrein for 2015.

Rivers Won’t Consider New Deal Before End Of Season

March 17th, 2015 at 7:43pm CST by Zachary Links

There has been a lot of talk about what a new pact between quarterback Philip Rivers and the Chargers might look like, but it sounds like we’ll have to wait a while to find out the answer. Rivers told Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego that he won’t ink a new deal before his current contract (which takes him through the 2015 season) ends.

“I’m trying to not get too caught up in what I can’t control,” he said. “What I can control is, what I’m doing in March is what I’ve done every March – working out, looking for little tweaks, getting ready to fight like crazy to help us win.”

When asked if anything could change Rivers’ mind on whether he’d consider signing a new deal before the end of the season, he responded, “Honestly, nothing.” Rivers also seemed to change his tune about the team’s potential move to the Los Angeles area, just weeks after saying that it wouldn’t heavily affect his feelings on the franchise.

“What we’ve established here with my growing family is hard to recreate,” Rivers said. “It’s hard to up and recreate that. I know that moves are part of life. But that certainly is fair to say that [not being sold on moving to Los Angeles] is part of it. The good thing is I’m not under contract in a year where we’d potentially be in Los Angeles.”

Rivers isn’t the only one keeping things vague when it comes to the quarterback’s future with the Bolts. Acee asked GM Tom Telesco if he would quash any possibility that Rivers could be traded. The GM declined, only offering up effusive praise for the signal caller. As speculation swirls that the Chargers could go after Marcus Mariota in the draft, Telesco didn’t do much to quell the talk.

Chargers To Sign Stevie Johnson

March 17th, 2015 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

11:02am: Johnson’s three-year contract has a base value of $10.5MM and includes additional performance-based incentives, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the deal can be worth up to $12MM.

9:55am: After taking the night to weigh his options, Stevie Johnson has decided to sign with the Chargers rather than the Patriots, sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 Washington (Twitter link). Johnson has reportedly narrowed his choice down to those two teams after visiting San Diego and New England, and Russini tweets that his family played a big part in his decision. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), it’ll be a three-year deal for Johnson with the Chargers.

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.

Having been released by the Niners earlier this month, Johnson will return to the AFC for the 2015 season, joining forces with Philip Rivers and Keenan Allen in San Diego. The Chargers, who lost Eddie Royal to the Bears in free agency last week, had been on the lookout for veteran receiving help to complement Allen. The team also added Jacoby Jones, though it’s not clear how significant a role the return specialist will play on offense.

In addition to the Chargers and Patriots, the Jets and Browns were among the other teams mentioned as potential suitors for Johnson.

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