Well, it appears the Chargers are not butting heads with all their players.  News has come out saying the Chargers have reached an agreement with Antonio Gates on a five-year contract extension.  The team will pay the star Tight End $7.235 million per year, with $20.4 million in guaranteed money.

Gates's current contract was set to expire at the end of this season.  This new deal not only ensures Gates will be a Charger for a long time still (through the 2015 season), but it also makes Gates the highest-paid Tight End in the league.

The Chargers had indicated that they wanted to get a deal with Gates in place before focusing on reaching an agreement with Left Tackle Marcus McNeill.  With a deal out of the way, this may open the door for McNeill and the Chargers to enter into talks.