San Diego Chargers Place LT Marcus McNeill on Injured-Reserve, Claim LT Jared Gaither

by John Gennaro on Nov 30, 2011 2:00 PM PST in San Diego Chargers News

Some news from the Silver Fox that many saw coming....

Marcus McNeill going on IR ... Chargers get Jared Gaither off waivers.

Source

Make that two of the San Diego Chargers offensive linemen, at the very least, that will finish the season on the Injured Reserve list. The two highest paid offensive linemen on the team and, possibly, the two most talented and most important offensive linemen on the team.

Marcus McNeill re-injured his neck a few weeks ago, an injury that the Chargers have been worried bout since his neck surgery in 2009, and apparently hasn't made enough progress for A.J. Smith and the San Diego front office to keep him on the roster for the remainder of the season.

Brandyn Dombrowski has filled in from McNeill since the injury earlier this year and will be the starting LT for the rest of 2011 until he also, inevitably, lands on the Injured Reserve list with the rest of San Diego's offensive linemen.

Jared Gaither is the LT that kept Michael Oher at RT for a while. He was, at one point, thought to be one of the better LTs in the league. Since a head injury in 2009, Gaither hasn't done much. He started this season with the Kansas City Chiefs but was eventually released. He'll be a backup in San Diego.

Tweet Comment 30 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

man Rivers is going to get killed

bummer

by cameronm on Nov 30, 2011 2:19 PM PST reply actions

Let's just put Rivers on IR with an OLinectomy

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Nov 30, 2011 2:51 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Good lord

That is 3 OL to IR in less than a month.

Blame Norv all you want (and he deserves quite a bit), but it’s hard to win like that.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Nov 30, 2011 2:19 PM PST reply actions 2 recs

if this were 2010

Hal Hunter would be getting all the blame. or the training staff.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Nov 30, 2011 2:30 PM PST up reply actions

People mention the training staff every year

I wonder if there’s a statistic for most injuries per year. It certainly seems like we consistently get some of the worst of it.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Nov 30, 2011 2:37 PM PST up reply actions

I think every team's fans thinks they consistently get the worst of it

"I promise you, we’re going to build a dictating, dominating, attacking defense. I’ve said it a million times. It’s not a slight on our offense, but we’re not going to win any world championship until we have that." - A.J. Smith

by njg425 on Nov 30, 2011 2:38 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

this McNeill thing has nothing to do with trainers.

It is going to keep happening, he needs to be replaced. His cervical spinal stenosis ain’t gonna magically get better.

by BORTZ on Nov 30, 2011 2:39 PM PST up reply actions

Signed through 2015 (like Gates and Rivers)

I’m sure there’s some career-ending injury clause, but if he tries to come back they either have to keep him or pay him a TON of money to go away.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Nov 30, 2011 3:31 PM PST up reply actions

Actually Acee will tell you it’s quite the opposite, that the team structured the contract to be essentially a series of one year deals.

by Orz on Nov 30, 2011 3:40 PM PST up reply actions

McNeill contract analysis

here

bottom line: rolling guarantees. He could be cut without much damage.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Nov 30, 2011 3:41 PM PST up reply actions

Many ex-Chargers have noted

that Charger team practices have less hitting and are less strenuous
than their new team. Most recently Sproles….

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

by Hormel on Nov 30, 2011 2:52 PM PST up reply actions

So you are saying the players get hurt more because they aren’t used to contact?

by BFDC on Nov 30, 2011 3:20 PM PST up reply actions

could be...

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

by Hormel on Nov 30, 2011 9:53 PM PST up reply actions

I remember

last year, everybody was complaining A.J wouldn’t give McNeill the contract he deserved. Turns out he was right in doubting him

by Adriel Bergman on Nov 30, 2011 2:42 PM PST reply actions

Ya he doubted him so much

That he only gave him a 50 million dollar deal.

by CABurrito on Nov 30, 2011 5:03 PM PST up reply actions

Look at how he structured the contract

by Adriel Bergman on Nov 30, 2011 7:46 PM PST up reply actions

Like any smart GM would

The holdout was never about the money or the desire to retain Mcneil, it was a power play. AJ was always willing to open the checkbook for him, injury issue or not, but he wanted to be the one in control.

by CABurrito on Nov 30, 2011 9:25 PM PST up reply actions

Gaither is 25???

Dang, this might be a good long term pickup.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Nov 30, 2011 3:05 PM PST reply actions

I was thinking the same thing, RT of the future?

by njg425 on Nov 30, 2011 3:24 PM PST up reply actions

Oakland and KC

might have said the same thing before they cut him this year.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Nov 30, 2011 3:30 PM PST up reply actions

This

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Nov 30, 2011 3:32 PM PST up reply actions

technically

the Raiders didn’t cut him. They were going to sign him and then didn’t after some sort of medical evaluation…

None the less, still a low risk, high reward gamble. If he gets healthy he is potentially a new LT, if he doesn’t he won’t cost much and we aren’t relying on him to do anything but backup.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Nov 30, 2011 3:47 PM PST up reply actions

Don't get too excited

He has talent but he’s had major injury issues.

by CABurrito on Nov 30, 2011 6:21 PM PST up reply actions

coming from a KC fan…Gaither couldn’t get on the field for us. You look at his size and drool. Then you wonder why he can’t beat out our subpar RT. Something has to be up.

by kc571 on Dec 1, 2011 12:11 PM PST up reply actions

is this 'ChargerI IR'

A new weekly article?

Oh internet, what a wicked web you weave.

by Mad_Villain on Nov 30, 2011 5:14 PM PST via mobile reply actions

by Mad_Villain on Dec 1, 2011 5:28 AM PST via mobile reply actions

The team runs with two left tackles and they

RUN MOAR

Dielman on Rivers: "I've tried to get him to say s--- or f--- and all he'll ever do is say, 'Golly gee, I can't do that."
Bolts from the Blue
Could we get a Countdown to Castillo's return?

by Superduperboltman on Dec 1, 2011 5:31 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs