11/05/24
February 23, 2010
Tomlinson exits San Diego: The San Diego Chargers have said good-bye to LaDainian Tomlinson, their signature player for nine years and one of the NFL's leading rushers.
As much as I hate, hate, hate Eli Manning for his stunt to avoid going to San Diego, they are a pretty dysfunctional organization. They treat their players pretty poorly. Merriman has had problems. Brees had problems. Now, it is Tomlinson's turn. I hope he just had a bad year, and will have more success next year. Still, I don't really know what the market is for aging RBs.
posted by bperk at 10:00 AM on February 23, 2010
As good as LT is as a receiver, maybe the Pats would like to use him as a slot type guy while they see what Welker's future looks like. He could also become a member of the NE running back committee for a few plays each game.
If LT went to the Saints and they slotted both him and Bush at the same time, that type of formation would be pretty hard to defend. Brees could give him the "life after SD" pep talk.
Other teams with a quality QB could use a pass catcher. The Bengals for one.
So far, there's been a lot more interest in what's going to happen to LT than what's going to happen to the Chargers.
posted by beaverboard at 10:51 AM on February 23, 2010
If he's priced appropriately for a smallish market team in an uncapped year then I could see him chasing his Championship dream to Green Bay.
Alternatively, if he doesn't want to move far and they can find a Quarterback he could always go to the Niners.
Personally, if I was a back on the downslope of my career I'm not sure I'd want to go to the Pats and run into the Jets' front seven twice a year.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:37 AM on February 23, 2010
He'll be great as a Saints with Drew Brees!!
posted by jstron at 11:47 AM on February 23, 2010
Steelers will need a #2 guy with Mendenhall. Willie parker is pretty much gone and he would very valuable in the Steelers passing game with Ben. Never happen, but its a thought
posted by Debo270 at 01:19 PM on February 23, 2010
Willie parker is pretty much gone..
I'm no Steelers fan but what did happen to 'Fast' Willie Parker? Did the 'Fast' get taken out of his name and now he's just 'Normal' Willie Parker?
posted by BornIcon at 01:29 PM on February 23, 2010
If Willie Parker takes a pay cut to reflect his carries, I don't know why the Steelers wouldn't just keep him. He still averaged 4 ypc.
posted by bperk at 01:41 PM on February 23, 2010
Steelers are looking for a back that can get them 3rd and 1 and help eat the clock
posted by Debo270 at 01:49 PM on February 23, 2010
agree with Debo270...Steelers need a scorer and LT showed this past year, that even if he can't do the other parts as well as he used to, he still has a nose for the end zone. LT as a goal-line back in the black and gold would be a beautiful thing, but it's not going to happen.
posted by bdaddy at 01:55 PM on February 23, 2010
Along these lines.
Eagles release Brian Westbrook
posted by Debo270 at 01:58 PM on February 23, 2010
Eagles release Brian Westbrook
sorry thought i linked this the first time.
posted by Debo270 at 02:26 PM on February 23, 2010
LT is done. Unfortunately he has been sent to football purgatory. He only has a drop left in his tank after wasting great seasons with the almost championship calibre Chargers. I say almost as their coaching staff and ownership have for years been disfuctional. Now LT will have to take a big pay cut to play a one or two year contract with some mediocre team, or be a back up player.
Funny this is the team that let Super Bowl Drew Brees go. Luckily he still had a lot to give to a good organization. Now that Rivers has matured into a top QB the great supporting cast he once had is either old, gone or hurt. By the time SD recovers Rivers will have moved on also. The Chargers are completely disfunctional from ownership down.
posted by Atheist at 02:41 PM on February 23, 2010
San Diego isn't rebuilding. The Chargers went 13-3 last year and ought to be able to replace LT's 730 rushing yards pretty easily.
posted by rcade at 02:53 PM on February 23, 2010
Tomlinson to the Lions? One can always hope.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:56 PM on February 23, 2010
Why would Tomlinson go to another dysfunctional team?
posted by yzelda4045 at 02:59 PM on February 23, 2010
Why hasn't any one taken me seriously about LT to the Saints??
posted by jstron at 03:03 PM on February 23, 2010
I didn't want to jinx the idea by commenting on it.
posted by yzelda4045 at 03:08 PM on February 23, 2010
San Diego, they are a pretty dysfunctional organization. They treat their players pretty poorly.
I have 0 love for the Chargers and I don't care for their management either, but how is this an example of them treating a player poorly? If anything, they hung onto LT a year too long.
posted by yerfatma at 03:27 PM on February 23, 2010
Steelers are looking for a back that can get them 3rd and 1 and help eat the clock.
That immediately reminded me of one of my favorite quotes, from the inimitable Leroy Hoard:
"If you need one yard, I can get you three. If you need five yards, I can get you three".
posted by beaverboard at 04:13 PM on February 23, 2010
Why would Tomlinson go to another dysfunctional team?
Temporary insanity?
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:00 PM on February 23, 2010
I have 0 love for the Chargers and I don't care for their management either, but how is this an example of them treating a player poorly? If anything, they hung onto LT a year too long.
LT refused to even consider renegotiating his contract because he knew he would be cut. He didn't want to be there. He has been the face of their franchise for how many years? And he still wanted out ASAP.
posted by bperk at 05:02 PM on February 23, 2010
Why would Tomlinson go to another dysfunctional team?
Cheap and abundant housing, cheap cars, and casinos and strip clubs... the same reasons everyone else comes to Detroit...
posted by MeatSaber at 06:52 PM on February 23, 2010
Cheap and abundant housing
For sure! If he'd been cut sooner he could have had his own stadium there for less than a nice three bedroom condo in La Jolla! Needs a little work but LT has shown he has plenty of elbow grease.
posted by billsaysthis at 07:25 PM on February 23, 2010
LT refused to even consider renegotiating his contract because he knew he would be cut.
Something about that sentence doesn't make sense. If you mean he refused to spend time negotiating a contract because he knew he'd never seen the first dollar from it, I'm hard-pressed to say that says anything.
posted by yerfatma at 09:28 PM on February 23, 2010
Yes, you are right. It doesn't make sense. What I meant to say was that LT knew he would be cut if he failed to renegotiate his contract. Since he didn't want to stay, he publicly said quite some time ago that he would definitely not renegotiate.
posted by bperk at 10:11 AM on February 24, 2010
What about the visor? Is it staying with the Chargers?
posted by The_Black_Hand at 11:26 AM on February 24, 2010
In unrelated LT getting released by San Diego news, has anyone seen this before?