San Diego Chargers Will Keep RB Darren Sproles
by John Gennaro on Mar 4, 2010 12:32 PM PST
in San Diego Chargers News
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Printfrom Kevin Acee:
The Chargers have changed their minds.
The team is placing a first-and-third tender on running back Darren Sproles, sources said Thursday morning.
Sproles had been notified last week the Chargers would not tender him as a restricted free agent and would allow him to test the market as an unrestricted free agent.
The move guarantees Sproles a salary of $7.27 million if he stays with the Chargers, unless the club can sign him to a long-term deal. He made $6.62 million last season as the Chargers' franchise player and is entitled to a 10 percent raise.
The Chargers' initial thinking in not tendering Sproles was that they couldn't justify paying a kick returner and third-down back that much. They had hoped to continue talking to him about a multiyear contract even as he tested the market.
Everyone, please take note: Darren Sproles is not stupid. Now the team and him can negotiate a long-term deal, but if he's not happy with what they're offering he can stay right where he is and be one of the highest paid RBs in the league in 2010.
I for one feel better knowing that we now only have to look for one RB and not two. However, to be paying Sproles like he's one of the league's top RBs for two seasons seems incredible (for a team that's usually pretty tight with the purse strings). I bet, before the deadline where Darren has to accept the tender, he and the team agree on a long-term deal that pays him $3-4 million per season.
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Also, see Osgood tweet that Jamal is gone!
by Lenny Suckerpunch on Mar 4, 2010 12:34 PM PST reply actions
Saw that
He’s not really one to make stuff up
"When they come for me I'll be sitting at my desk, with a gun in my hand wearing a bullet-proof vest, singing 'My, my, my, how the time does fly when you know you're going to die by the end of the night.'" - Catch 22
by John Gennaro on Mar 4, 2010 12:36 PM PST up reply actions
he and Cro both gussied up their twitter appearances
look at KO’s professional headshot.
by Lenny Suckerpunch on Mar 4, 2010 12:37 PM PST up reply actions
I bet, before the deadline where Darren has to accept the tender, he and the team agree on a long-term deal
Didn’t we say the same thing last year after Sproles was franchised? If I’m Sproles, I take the $7.2M and wait for free agency next year.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 4, 2010 12:49 PM PST reply actions
It's somewhat surprising, but makes sense.
The front office likely wasn’t thrilled with what they see with the running backs in free agency and decided that retaining Sproles gives them the most talent/ability for their money. Even if they have to pay him a ton of cash. The move also gives them more flexibility in the draft and even an interesting trading piece if someone wants to give them a good offer.
If they can indeed sign him to a long term contract, all the better. Though somehow I doubt that will happen since it’s akin to the situation we had last year with him.
I love my team of historically talented underachievers.
Still unclear for me
I’m not sure if I get it.
What’s the incentive for Sproles to sign a long term contract when he can take the 7.3 this year and then look for a big contract next year?
He really wants more carries and another team might be willing to give him that.
Bolts from the Blue // "He looks like a catfish" - Nick Hardwick on Brandon Siler
Bloody Elbow // " looks like your comment violated rule #4. and it’s a heck of a rule, rule #4" - Kid Nate
How do you know the Chargers won’t give him more carries? Maybe we draft a RB and they alternate series’ (other than 3rd downs)…
I doubt they are willing to give him the carries he wants.
Bolts from the Blue // "He looks like a catfish" - Nick Hardwick on Brandon Siler
Bloody Elbow // " looks like your comment violated rule #4. and it’s a heck of a rule, rule #4" - Kid Nate
Hmmm
The talk all day was Sproles having a team picked & SD got wind and sent him the tender…life in the NFL
Michael Lombardi - twitter
I wonder if the Chargers really thought no one would give Sproles a big contract in FA and once they learned he already had something lined up, they decided they actually couldn’t live without him? Sounds like a two bit romatic comedy to me..
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 4, 2010 1:23 PM PST reply actions
My gut instinct
Is that it’s a combination of two factors: Sproles actually garnering some interest out in the FA market, and the Chargers not really finding much to replace Sproles. And I don’t think the two factors are mutually exclusive: Sproles value was high because the FA market is kind of weak for RBs this year.
sure
but why wait until this late in the game? Less than a week ago, they were saying (alegedly via Sproles’ agent via the front office) that Sproles was going to test FA. Did something change in the RB FA market in the last few days? If anything it got a little better with Fargas joining the FAs.
The timing of the tender after last week’s statement that sproles was going to be a FA indicates something surprised the Chargers. I suspect they really thought they would be able to keep Sproles after letting him look around and him not getting any good offers. When reports started surfacing that Sproles was going to get a decent offer, the Chargers decided to eliminate their risk and tender Sproles.
I guess the most surprising thing is the flip-flop, more than actually tendering Sproles, which makes sense (but is expensive)
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 4, 2010 2:15 PM PST up reply actions
yup
I am baffled by their move here too. So when they found out DS had plans to visit KC, Philly, WA, they panicked? I guess that’s the only logical explanation. Can DS still go meet teams, accept offers and see if Chargers will match the best offer (or the team gives SD 1st and 3rd)? Is that what happens now? And is there a time limit to when Chargers and DS agree on multiyear contract vs. getting the $7.2 Mill?
theoretically yes
he can get an offer, but no one is giving up a 1st and 3rd for Sproles…
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 4, 2010 2:33 PM PST up reply actions
right but...
is there a time limit to when Chargers and DS can agree on multiyear contract vs. getting the $7.2 Mill?
I'm sure a lot of factors added up to this move today.
As I said, they likely weren’t happy with the RBs in free agency. Sproles is rhe youngest, has the most talent/ability and and already knows them and their system.
Jamal’s release is also probably what pushed them over the edge. They knew they had to get two new RBs and probably a developmental DT behind Jamal. With him gone, it’s too hard to fill out all three with new bodies. Might as well retain Sproles and get a DT, RB and maybe a developmental RB.
I love my team of historically talented underachievers.
by DoubleViking on Mar 4, 2010 2:33 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
but they had to know about Jamal's potential release
If they knew they might still tender Sproles, why didn’t they just keep their pie holes shut last week about not tendering Sproles?
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 4, 2010 2:37 PM PST up reply actions
I'm not saying it makes sense, heh
The only thing that would make sense to me at this point is the Chargers had something in the works that would have made Sproles’ leaving easier to bear, but those plans fell through and so they Chargers had no other choice but to tender Sproles
Otherwise, it just seems like even the Chargers don’t have a clue what they’re doing, heh.
Could be due to the Cromartie trade crashing.
Perhaps they realized they couldn’t get Morris (in addition to the other issues you noted).
by SJO on Mar 4, 2010 3:44 PM PST up reply actions
It's official!
Acee just updated the UT article concerning DS, adding Jamal has been released. Bummer. JW must not be rehabbing as planned. Mount Cody is now looking like a real possibility. Rumour is JW is considering retirement.
7.3 million?
Come on. That is preposterous. Sproles is not, never has been, and probably never will be worth over 7 million a season. This is ridiculous, he is a role player!
This off-season officially sucks for FIVE reasons and counting...
Sproles will have made $14M
over two years. That is a boatload of money for someone of his skill-set. Plus, he will be a free agent next year. Talent, Hard work, and impeccable timing.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 4, 2010 4:50 PM PST up reply actions
Exactly. It is a ridiculous contract.
This off-season officially sucks for FIVE reasons and counting...
For example,
Steven Jackson makes just over 7 million a year.
Frank Gore earns about 7 million a season.
DeAngelo Williams makes 3 million a season (granted, it is his rookie deal. But regardless, Sproles does not come close to matching the production of Williams)
Brandon Jacobs earns about 6 million a season.
And we pay Sproles 7 million a season??!!
This off-season officially sucks for FIVE reasons and counting...
I know we should get that guy Williams...
na nevermind Sproles is better…lol…we need to wait and see what AJ’s plan is so we can clearly make judgment,this off season is starting off rather interesting.
Sproles was at the right place at the right time. That’s why get is getting this contract. It is the easiest way for the Chargers to control him and not be left with HUGE uncertainty at the RB position.
There is no cap this year, so i see no reason to begrudge Sproles his money. It is what it is.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 5, 2010 9:41 AM PST up reply actions
So this sounds like AJ is targeting one of the 220+ RB's
that will go in the 2nd round
Ryan Mathews! Clap clap clapclapclap.
Hopefully not Dwyer! Clap clap clapclapclap.
This off-season officially sucks for FIVE reasons and counting...
They better sign him long term.
Not because they need him but because paying a scat back $7 mil is an affront to everyone on the team. No wonder Cribbs wants big money, he’s way more explosive. AJ loves his own guys way too much. I might be in the minority, as much I respect Jamal – the Chargers actually got pass rush without him. With this being more and more of a throwing game, wasting one rusher every time he’s in is limiting.
Lottery balls land on DeMarcus Cousins baby.
by bringbackbuddytrees on Mar 4, 2010 5:44 PM PST reply actions
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