Could the Chargers Sign Marcus Spears?

by John Gennaro on Feb 28, 2011 1:40 PM PST in San Diego Chargers Front Office

I always have my eyes and ears open to potential free agents, even if the Chargers don't sign many of them, that might fit the system and a need here in San Diego. Obviously one of the bigger needs the Bolts have, and it's one of many, is a starting Defensive End. Today the Dallas Cowboys have announced that they are going to let DE Marcus Spears, along with SS Gerald Sensabaugh (we'll get ho him), test the free agent market before doing any sort of negotiating.

This comes a year after the Cowboys decided to tender Marcus as a Restricted Free Agent instead of offering him the long-term contract he was looking for. As you can imagine, from the Chargers experiences with Marcus McNeill and Vincent Jackson, Spears was none too happy about that. Hoping to have a big season before hitting free agency, Spears ended up playing in just 8 games due to a calf injury.

Marcus has a history of being one of the better 3-4 Defensive Ends in the league, and at 27 years old he's quite young. Although there's been plenty of talk about the Chargers using their first round pick on a DE, the question I'm left with is....when is the last time a Chargers defensive first-round pick won a starting job as a rookie?

Well, there was Shawne Merriman, who didn't get to start until about halfway through the season due to contract negotiations. Same goes for Quentin Jammer. Antonio Cromartie was drafted as a project, Antoine Cason was draft to play Nickel CB until Cromartie was gone, and Larry English has never been good enough to start. I suppose the best answer is actually the DE on the other side, Luis Castillo. Perhaps that's enough of a precedent for the Chargers to throw all their eggs in the "rookie DE" basket, but I'm still a little nervous. it's been a long time since this team has had a stud rookie that was ready to be a star on day 1.

Unless they're quite happy with Vaughn Martin as the starter, the Chargers are going to need to add a DE that is ready to start on day 1. They also need to make sure they have 4 ILBs, and right now only 1 is under contract. They also need a WR, a pass-rushing OLB and might need to do whatever it takes to get Rahim Moore to finally sure up the SS situation. Not every one of these holes can be filled through the draft, and Spears seems like a perfect fit (coming from Wade Phillips system) to take one of the most important ones off the board.

Poll

Should the San Diego Chargers Sign DE Marcus Spears?

Yes!

340 votes

Yes, but only if he'll take a "San Diego discount"

272 votes

No

58 votes

670 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Easy answer to this one

YES! They need a dominant presence on the RDE. Castillo is good but not great. Garay is a beast, but is still learning the 3-4. He’s only played in it for one year. They drafted Stuckey at Safety and Butler at ILB last year, and neither of them played at all. Butler was injured, but he still didn’t play. Sign a Big Time player for once and fix a problem now. Drafted players always seem to take a few years to mature. This guy is ready now.

by glamisdave on Feb 28, 2011 2:48 PM PST reply actions

no

if he was a pass rushing stud then yes, but he isn’t. I don’t think we should spend a bunch of money to bring in a run stopping DE when it is not a real area of need.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Feb 28, 2011 2:55 PM PST reply actions

3-4 DEs that rush the passer?

There’s like 3 of them. And I doubt there’s any in the draft.

DE is a huge need. Maybe the top need (since Cesaire is probably gone but Barnes will still be around).

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Feb 28, 2011 2:59 PM PST up reply actions

I guess my point is

That unless you find a DE who can rush the passer, you are probably just as well off keeping our current crew around. I’m not sure that Spears would improve us more than marginally and would chew up a lot more money that just keeping a guy like TJ around.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Feb 28, 2011 9:17 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

I highly doubted there were any in the draft as well...until JJ Watt beasted the combine.

This guy blew everyone else out of the water and showed some ridiculous explosiveness at 290 lbs. Look out here comes a shameless plug:
http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2011/3/1/2023667/post-combine-breaking-down-3-4-olbs-and-des

JJ Watt showed the best explosiveness numbers of anyone at the DE or OLB position by far, I think he is a surefire disruptive force at 3-4 DE…the question is if he drops to us, or if we can afford to pass up an OLB prospect

by jkvandal on Mar 2, 2011 1:42 PM PST up reply actions

I'd rather sign Spears than draft a 3-4 DE in the first round

When you talk about the Chargers needing a “playmaker”, 3-4 DE just doesn’t fit the bill and I would hesitate to take a guy at that position in the first round. Don’t get me wrong, I know the DE position makes the OLB’s better, but you know what else makes OLB’s better? Better OLBs!!

A lot of OLBs looked great going through drills at the combine today. I don’t think any of the elite guys like Miller or Quinn will be there (although Quinn may have dropped a bit), but there are going to be some good options at the 18th pick.

Also, Spears is a proven DE in a 3-4 defense…those aren’t available that often when they are still in their prime…and I still don’t think Marrin is ready.

by jkvandal on Feb 28, 2011 4:24 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

I think we should draft a 3-4 DE.

You know, the way the Chiefs drafted Tyson Jackson (#3, in fact) a couple of years ago, and that worked so well.

Yeah, so maybe trying to sign Spears is a better idea.

by justincup on Feb 28, 2011 5:21 PM PST reply actions

No Need

Hopefully we re-sign T. Johnson and V. Martin continues progressing.

There’s also an abundance og 5 Technique talent in this draft. We could spend one of our first 3 picks on a 5 Tech DE and probably save a lot of money.

by J Korber on Feb 28, 2011 5:23 PM PST reply actions

Is it possible for V. Martin to regress?

by JeromeB on Feb 28, 2011 5:42 PM PST up reply actions

perhaps...........

I’m all for taking a 5 technique/ 3-4 DE in the draft with one of our first 3 picks.

by J Korber on Mar 1, 2011 4:31 AM PST up reply actions

No

This is a deep draft for DE’s.

AJ says his philosophy is to build via the draft. There’s a good class of DE’s this year.

Let him put his money where his mouth is.

If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!

Robert Hunter

by Buck Melanoma on Mar 1, 2011 2:29 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

Negative.

I like marcus spears but I think the money it will take to get him here isn’t going to be worth it. He won’t make any huge impact, but will just be a very solid/above average player. I’d rather pick up a safety thru free agency and draft a DE.

by Michaelt817 on Mar 1, 2011 4:48 AM PST reply actions

I think it's too early to tell...

Spears is a bit weak against the run, if I’m not mistaken, so that’s something to think about. After the draft and CBA mess, we’ll have a clearer picture.

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."

by Superduperboltman on Mar 1, 2011 7:14 AM PST reply actions

$$Comparison$$

Using #18 from the last two years 2009 draft, Robert Ayers signed for 5 years and $15.5 million.
In 2010, Maurkice Pouncey signed an undisclosed contract for what looks to be 5 years, $18 million.
In 2011, the same #18 slot will probably go 5 years for $20 million.

Now a a top 3-4 DE is generally paid about $6-8 million per year (there are a few paid more).

So the decision is to either use a #1 draft pick on a DE signed at a likely $4 million per year, or sign a FA for ~ $7 million per year (5 years $35 million?), and keep the #1 draft pick. Lets sign the FA.

by SJO on Mar 2, 2011 8:27 AM PST reply actions

or do nothing?

or backfill with a vet like TJ for $2M?

You’re not going to get a decent pass rusher unless you spend big money in FA or draft in the top 5. So, if we aren’t going to get a decent pass rusher, why expend any significant resources on a run stopper when run stopper 3-4 DEs are cheap and plentifull?

OLB makes a lot more sense at that spot. I can’t see us getting a DE at 18. Perhaps we would drop down to later in the round and get one, but pick 18 has to be an impact pick.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Mar 2, 2011 12:40 PM PST up reply actions