Chargers place LB Jonas Mouton on Injured-Reserve; Sign Paul Oliver (again)

by creanium on Sep 22, 2011 9:20 AM PDT in San Diego Chargers Players

This seems like deja vu all over again, doesn't it? Last year it was Donald Butler, this year it's Jonas Mouton; the San Diego Chargers seem to have trouble keeping their rookie linebackers healthy. Although it's Mouton's shoulder that's the issue, thankfully he didn't blow up his Achilles like Butler did last year. It would appear that another linebacker drafted by AJ Smith isn't exactly panning out early. Has AJ drafted a good linebacker since 2005 when he drafted Merriman?

Mouton injured his shoulder late in the preseason and the team was hopeful they'd be able to treat it and he'd see some time on the field this season. His shoulder wasn't responding to treatment as well as they had hoped, and surgery is a possibility. Naturally, the team wanted to free up his roster spot since it wasn't looking like he'd make it back, so they brought in veteran Safety Paul Oliver.

If that name sounds familiar to you, good. Oliver spent 4 seasons with the Bolts - from 2007-2010 - and left the team as a free agent during the offseason when the two sides couldn't reach a contract agreement. He joined the New Orleans Saints, but was released on September 2nd after suffering a concussion and has been a free agent ever since. Oliver started in 8 games for the Chargers last season, and has 3 interceptions in 44 games played with the Chargers.

By replacing a linebacker with a safety, the Chargers seem confident having Stephen Cooper, Na'il Diggs and Andrew Gachkar backing up Takeo Spikes and Donald Butler.

Bob Sanders did not practice on Wednesday, suffering what the team calls "knee soreness." But this move supposedly isn't in response to Bob's sore knee. Sanders played all but 5 of the team's 72 defensive snaps in New England this past Sunday; more than the Chargers would like considering his injury history. By bringing Oliver in, the Chargers now have more depth at Safety and can hopefully give Bob Sanders more reprieves in games, limiting his injury potential.

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By replacing a linebacker with a safety, the Chargers seem confident having Stephen Cooper, Na’il Diggs and Andrew Gachkar backing up Takeo Spikes and Donald Butler.

This was horrifying to read.

by Orz on Sep 22, 2011 9:37 AM PDT reply actions

Was even worse to write.

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by creanium on Sep 22, 2011 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions

fire AJ!!!

why do we not have Ray Lewis and Jerrod Mayo backing up our starters!!!

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Sep 22, 2011 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Yup

that was the exact thought I had when I saw this move…maybe they are hoping that Paul Oliver can fill Mouton’s role on Special teams, and I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt there, but ILB was already the weakest position on defense before Mouton went down.

Now our ILB backups are an old player with a torn bicep, a guy that is transitioning to a 3-4 from a 4-3, and a rookie that only made the team for special teams?

by jkvandal on Sep 22, 2011 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions

maybe.....

…..so when we play the Pats in the playoffs, Oliver can play for Saunders. Isn’t Larry English a LB, or is he a DE? Is he even still on the team? I need to check the roster.

by Think about it on Sep 22, 2011 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions