Chargers Fail to Sign Darren Sproles to a Multi Year Deal
by Steve (Grey Suit) on Jul 16, 2009 7:00 AM PDT
45 comments
Yesterday (July 15) marked the deadline to sign all franchise tagged players to multi-year contracts and while Matt Cassel and Terrell Suggs have found their homes for the better part of the next decade, where Darren Sproles will call home after the 2009 season is still a question mark. After signing the Chargers franchise tender a week after the NFL draft in late April Sproles is guaranteed to make $6.621 million during the 2009 season and will be granted his unrestricted free agency at seasons end. With names like Rivers, Merriman, McNeil and Jackson all becoming unrestricted free agents after the 2009 season (assuming a CBA can be agreed upon) there is probably little chance that Sproles will be offered the teams franchise tag for a second straight year most likely ending the Darren Sproles era in San Diego.
I understand that Sproles will probably be an integral part of both the Chargers offence and special teams this year and will be a very important piece to the Super Bowl puzzle (especially if LTs can’t stay healthy) but there are really two things about this move or lack there of that really bother me:
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Assuming the Chargers will be too busy in the off-season trying to sign Rivers, Merriman, Jackson and McNeil that they let Sproles slip off to another team, it will be the third player (Brees and Turner being the other two) AJ will have let walk out the door in their prime instead of trading them at the highest point in their Charger careers.
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The Chargers will be paying their 3rd down back and kick-returner $6.621 million in 2009 which is almost $3 million more (excluding signing bonus) than what LT will make in 2009.
Sproles was obviously not traded this off-season because the Chargers have a great shot at representing the AFC in the Super Bowl this up coming February and the Chargers need a back-up plan just in case LT is unable to play in his third straight post season. If the Chargers make it to the Super Bowl all will obviously be forgotten but if they don’t Sproles will join Drew Brees and Michael Turner as yet another diamond in the rough that AJ could not capitalize on.
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Sproles out for sure?
Missing yesterday’s deadline means we CAN’T sign him after this year (ie is he automatically out the door) ?
by Carl1 on Jul 16, 2009 8:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
They can
But he’ll come below Rivers, Merriman and McNeil in terms of priority.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Jul 16, 2009 8:20 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
we can still sign him after this year
we could even franchise him again. But we can’t sign Sproles to a new deal until the season is over, he will play this year under the franchise tag deal no matter what.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jul 16, 2009 8:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He's not out for sure
but there are a few things working against him returning in 2010:
1. Money will be tight after signing Rivers, McNeil and maybe Jackson
2. Merriman will prob get in franchise tag in 2010 also I dont see the Chargers paying Sproles another $6.6 mil or more for another season.
3. Sproles wants to be an every down back and I don’t think the Chargers will give him that opportunity to do that so he will most likely seek that opportunity elsewhere.
by Steve (Grey Suit) on Jul 16, 2009 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
i agree
barring LT being done and Sproles proving himself as an everydown back across a few games, I think he is gone next year.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jul 16, 2009 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Even more reason
Why Gartrell should be the backup rb this year. It’s easier to replace a kr/pr than it is to replace a backup rb.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Jul 16, 2009 8:18 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
I'm not so sure signing Sproles to a long term deal is a good idea anyways
I think he would demand (and deserve) #1 back type money. I don’t think he has the durability or skills to be a #1 for an entire season. Most of his success last year came when the opponents didn’t prepare for him (they were expecting LT). I think we are better off letting him walk after this year than saddling ourselves with a player who might not be effective for the long term. I still have hopes that LT has two solid years and perhaps an additional year of contribution after that. And I think quality RBs are a dime a dozen. (Not HoF RBs, but quality RBs)
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jul 16, 2009 8:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
In the day of RBBC
these guys become a more expendable commodity. Like you said – the special ones are rare, but plenty of serviceable RBs come out of college every year. They’re much easier to get to a productive level than QB, WR, or DB. So this is the way that the RB position is being viewed – use them up & get a fresher set of legs in the next draft.
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
by Buck Melanoma on Jul 16, 2009 2:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
third player (Brees and Turner being the other two) AJ will have let walk out the door in their prime instead of trading them at the highest point in their Charger careers
Don’t forget Drayton Florence.
Trades in the NFL don’t really happen that often, especially of players at the end of their contracts. If you let them walk, you at least get some compensatory picks, and you get to keep them until the very end of their deal.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jul 16, 2009 8:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
What if I want to forget him?
Because I do.
I don't know whether I prefer Astroturf to grass. I never smoked Astroturf.
JOE NAMATH
by theGEN3RAL on Jul 16, 2009 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trades
I think we got more value out keeping these players the additional season or two and getting draft picks in return than we could have ever got in trade. The idea that we could have traded any of these guys for 1st or 2nd round picks is mostly ludicrous. That only happens when one team is extremely desperate to acquire the player. If that were the case, I’ve got to believe the trades would have gone down.
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
by Wonko on Jul 16, 2009 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Did the Chargers get a draft pick for letting Brees walk?
Whats better a second round pick for Turner (I do think a team would have payed that) or a fourth round pick for Turner? Also the chargers would have lost in NE with or without Turner in the back field.
by Steve (Grey Suit) on Jul 16, 2009 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Chargers got a 3rd rounder for Brees leaving
You are leaving out that the Chargers got Turner for the extra season. If they had traded him for this mythical second round pick that wasn’t offered (and it wasn’t otherwise they would have traded him), then they wouldn’t have had him for the season. There is value in that, because the question isn’t whether they would have lost to New England, but whether they would have played New England to begin with.
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
by Wonko on Jul 17, 2009 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I agree with you Wonko.
Though a lot of people like to throw out the claim that the Titans were offering at least a 1st for Turner.
Love we shine like a burning star
We're falling from the sky tonight
by Zach (maestro876) on Jul 17, 2009 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let it go
First off you will never get to keep everyone; Rivers will come first (hard to get franchise QB) and they paid him the 1rst time, McNeil will most likely get it done next (tackles almost as hard as QB’s)……Now it gets interesting; despite media reports the Management grumblings about Shawne off the field distractions; if they feel he is healthy and focused..he gets prob tag or Harrison type money, but they will wait on him…Jackson, they will wait abit: concerns bout off the field and ability to repeat performance, but they are in a bit of bind since Malcom/Caig hasn’t stepped up and Chris not getting younger…Sproles great kid, great story line, thrilling to watch…but not LT and consequently expendable…
Turner was let go, because team can’t keep 2 franchise backs..they loved him and believed in him, but in the end you can’t keep 2…AJ wanted to trade earlier, but he set reasonable deadline so the coaches don’t hang in limbo
Brees, I love the guy but before draft day of Rivers, he just hadn’t preformed and he was not considered big/durable QB….keep him and he may not ever develop, now you are stuck with no QB…Never was any choices here for AJ to make, we were in hunt for a QB and drafted 1….Brees woke up to competition or to a new day and emerged, but the die was cast…..but AJ should have made a trade, but Marty hadn’t played Rivers so no one was sure what we had, then in useless game Brees gets wiped….beginning of the end for Marty that day for sure. I like Marty, but if I was owner/GM you would have peeled me off ceiling..Marty was loyal to player over organization and now put team at a disadvantage….No sorry the Brees thing, all on Marty
by bo_shilo on Jul 16, 2009 11:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Harrison type money?
Merriman is going to want more than Haynesworth and Suggs each just got. He’s going to want “highest paid defensive player ever” money. And someone will give it to him, just not us.
Love we shine like a burning star
We're falling from the sky tonight
by Zach (maestro876) on Jul 16, 2009 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
We can hope
The Chargers will offer him $10 mil per, and he takes it. I think alot of players, Gates, Rivers, Dielman, LT will take less to play for a consistent winner. Merriman won’t take much less, but we’ll find out. Unfortunately I don’t think the offers that were turned down are ever published.
by SJO on Jul 16, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope so
Harrison/Suggs both took 10 mil a year contract…really it is about what the guaranteed money is not the annual salary….I think management has other things on the plate and want to see how Merriman comes back and how he handles himself….I wish nothing more than see him and Phillips and English scaring the other QB
by bo_shilo on Jul 16, 2009 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
In my opinion
This year they had the extra money to throw at Sproles. They know they gave him more than he’s worth, and I think it was a bonus for years past. However for 2010, they will sign Sproles, and cut LT to avoid paying out the 2010 roster bonus. Sproles signs for 4 years at $16 million. Gartrell is the starting RB in 2010.
by SJO on Jul 16, 2009 1:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
pretty cold
cutting LT a year after he restructured his contract.
by CoastalBronco on Jul 16, 2009 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But that’s exactly why they restructured. He makes less this year, and more for the last 2 years. Plus a 2010 roster bonus of $1 mil. They will need to cut him right after sitting out the playoffs.
by SJO on Jul 16, 2009 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If LT has an "LT" season, they won't cut him.
The only reason they’d cut him is if he struggles again. If he puts up ~1300 yards and ~15 TDs, he’ll stay.
Love we shine like a burning star
We're falling from the sky tonight
by Zach (maestro876) on Jul 16, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed, but
he won’t, as much as I hope he does.
by SJO on Jul 16, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He doesn't even have to do that well
Anything close to 1000 yards should keep him around, considering he’s no longer the most expensive RB on the roster. I’d say the pressure is on Sproles this season. Will they really go into next year carrying over just Gartrell Johnson (assuming Sproles’ departure next year is a given)?
by CoastalBronco on Jul 17, 2009 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Darren is gonna get paid this year
Then try to get closer to home. That’s on good authority. ;-)
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
by Buck Melanoma on Jul 16, 2009 2:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
L.T WILL HAVE AN L.T SEASON
i have faith in the old boy..lol… if emmitt smith could do it why not L.T plus it makes more sense on darren leaving than L.T cuz we can pick up a good rb in the draft in 10 cuz i think next years crop are gonna be stacked and if gartrell can’t hack it L.T would be a great mentor on that squad and and emotional leader for the team ala ‘the bus’ jerome bettis and we NEED to keep Merriman cuz at this point all rookies are unproven english might turn out to be injury prone or a bust and Merriman might just blow everybody out the water this year along with Gates ,Rivers,L.T.,and the rest of our MONSTER DEFENSE!!! idon;t want to ever write L.T. off he’s given too much to our team and San Diego as long as he’s been here classy guy and he deserves mine and the organizations respect…GO BOLTS!!!!!
NEVER MISS A GAME,WHETHER BY BEING THERE OR WATCHING AT HOME,FO SHO!!!
by Gorditoe1 on Jul 17, 2009 2:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
After Emmit turned 30
His absolute best year was 294 carries, 1203 yards, 9 TD, and only 11 receptions. This was at age 31. These are pretty pedestrian numbers, especially for an offensive powerhouse like Dallas. Once he turned 30, he never again rushed for more than his career average of 4.2 yards per carry. Dallas kept him too long, until 33 years old, when he ran for 254 carries, 975 yards, 5 TD, and 16 receptions. You an pretty much plug any NFL RB in for 16 games to get those kind of numbers.
by SJO on Jul 17, 2009 10:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
You have a point about on field performance
But in this era of RBBC, I think those numbers are good enough to keep him around.
Also, they lose 90% of their jersey sales without LDT.
by CoastalBronco on Jul 17, 2009 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you want a RB that is just “good enough to keep around”?
by SJO on Jul 17, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
LDT is a special case
Yes, I’d roll the dice an extra year or two with LDT, especially if he’s on the cheap and part of a committee. He is that good, and that important to the fanbase.
by CoastalBronco on Jul 17, 2009 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But he’s not on the cheap, he will be making $6-8 million for the next 3 years. So do you still want him around at that price?
by SJO on Jul 17, 2009 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
sorry, I thought it was less
I think AJ has gone a little nutty with $12-13 mil committed to LDT and Sproles next year. I doubt that the cost/benefit ratio will turn out very well on that front.
Honestly, I’m not much of an LDT fan. Neither his performance nor his attitude have been what they were prior to setting the single season TD record. But he continues to mean a lot to the team and the fanbase, so he does warrant consideration that any other RB doesn’t.
But to answer your question: Yes, he needs to perform relatively well to be worth keeping around at that price. Which leads to another question: Which RBs are coming available via free agency and the draft next year?
by CoastalBronco on Jul 18, 2009 1:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Only one point I gotta make here
There are NEVER any RBs available in free agency. At least not ones you want to bet your running game on.
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
by Wonko on Jul 18, 2009 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
In regards to LT's 2009 production
there’s a couple things that need to be remembered.
First, in 2008, despite playing with a couple fairly serious injuries and having an offensive line also riddle with injury and playing relatively poorly, Tomlinson still produced 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 12 total TDs.
Second, in 2008 the Chargers ranked 29th in the league in offensive plays run, thanks largely in part to a defense that couldn’t get off the field. This means that the San Diego offense had the 4th fewest opportunities of any offense in the league, and they still managed to be the 2nd highest scoring team in football.
When you take these two facts into consideration, 2009 should be an up year for LT. He’ll be healthy, his line will be healthy, and he’ll have more chances with the ball.
Love we shine like a burning star
We're falling from the sky tonight
by Zach (maestro876) on Jul 17, 2009 12:32 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs
great point
and fantastic statistical support.
rec’d
by CoastalBronco on Jul 17, 2009 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're quite reasonable for a Broncos fan.
What gives?
Love we shine like a burning star
We're falling from the sky tonight
by Zach (maestro876) on Jul 17, 2009 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
he lives in SD
Fire Bud Black!
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Jul 17, 2009 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well that would explain it then.
Love we shine like a burning star
We're falling from the sky tonight
by Zach (maestro876) on Jul 17, 2009 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes LT hsould have an up year, but I think you both are missing my point.
LT is an effective back yes. However he is no longer in his prime, and any future years will be on the decline. I’m not saying he doesn’t have a couple good years left in him. BUT we could likely get the same performance from a decent rookie RB that doesn’t earn $6-8 million per year. We could use that money to sign another player like Gates, Jackson, Sproles, McNeill. Let’s see what Gartrell can do this year. If he shines, I say cut LT in 2010.
by SJO on Jul 17, 2009 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What do we get for LT at this point?
Not as much as what he is worth to us.
maestro – rec to you.
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
by Buck Melanoma on Jul 17, 2009 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My first green!!!!
I’m so happy sniff
Love we shine like a burning star
We're falling from the sky tonight
by Zach (maestro876) on Jul 17, 2009 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
what they need to try and do
is get castillo to restructure, he is one of, if not THE highest paid player on the team, and while he is good, i just dont think he is worth what he is making
by $#%@ eli and his daddy on Jul 17, 2009 8:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
GOOD POINT
he does need to stay healthy and play all 16 and have a 10 sack plus season he’s underachieving ,i like the dude but he needs to do the damn thing..with L.T though we can afford to keep him around because if we make the playoffs and god willing win a bowl we will pick late in the first round and if we can get a decent back in our pick we won’t have to pay as much as say a top 10 pick would cost us and L.T does mean alot to our fan base and it would be nice to have him retire as an all time charger with a ring…he deserves it and so does the rest of the team…we can’t be that team that always lets go that HOF player and the next team they go to they get a ring ie rodney harrison…you feel me L.T should be a charger till the end he MEANS that much to us..TRUST ME
NEVER MISS A GAME,WHETHER BY BEING THERE OR WATCHING AT HOME,FO SHO!!!
by Gorditoe1 on Jul 18, 2009 2:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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