More photos » Bill Kostroun - AP

Strickland sacking Bulger (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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via Adam Schefter's Twitter:

Filed to ESPN: CB Donald Strickland reached agreement with the Chargers on a two-year deal.

Guess Wonko was wrong. The Chargers fill their nickel CB hole with Donald Strickland.  Stickland is 29 years old and has bounced around his entire career.  He's somewhat small (5'10", 185lbs.) and is more of a cover corner than anything else.

From what I've personally seen of Donald, he's a perfect fit for the Chargers.  He has been consistent enough that teams have tried to make him a starter in the past, with poor results.  However, as a nickel CB he's probably better than Steve Gregory.

UPDATE: SBNation has Strickland's stats from 2009.

Keith Srakocic - AP

San Diego Chargers' Alfonso Boone. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

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Just like Kris Wilson did earlier today, Alfonso Boone has now signed a 2-year contract to stay with the San Diego Chargers.  After being signed as a free agent early in 2010, Boone was one of the most productive defensive linemen for the Chargers all season.

At least the Chargers won't need to draft a DE this year.  Between Luis Castillo, Vaughn Martin, Jacques Cesaire, Travis Johnson and Alfonso Boone, that spot is locked up with a good mix of young talent and wily veterans.

More photos » Lenny Ignelzi - AP

San Diego Chargers tight end Kris Wilson (88) hauls in a toucdown pass. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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Welcome to perhaps the busiest day of the offseason, Free Agency Day 1.

The Chargers have started the day on the right foot, locking up Kris Wilson for another two seasons after he showed great promise as a receiving TE in 2009.  Brandon Manumaleuna seems to be getting a lot more interest in Chicago and Baltimore than he is in San Diego, so I would expect Wilson to be #2 on the depth chart come September.

UPDATE: Manumaleuna has signed a five-year deal with the Chicago Bears.

The Antonio Cromartie trade seems less dangerous now that the Jets have announced that they will allow Cro to play out the final year of his contract.  So if he doesn't have a great year with Gang Green, the Jets have essentially sent a 3rd round pick to San Diego for the chance to rent Cromartie for one year.  I, for one, am also happy that reports like this are no-longer Chargers related:

The San Diego Union Tribune reports that Cromartie failed to appear in court twice recently for traffic tickets and owes $799 in traffic-related fines.

He's also scheduled to appear later this month for a "judgment debtor's exam" which has to do with child support he owes to one of the mothers of his children.

Cromartie has at least seven different children with six women and the same paper reported last month he owed $25,000 in child support.

More photos » Denis Poroy - AP

San Diego Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) and New York Jets coach Rex Ryan. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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The major changes to the San Diego Chargers roster continue, with Antonio Cromartie being traded to the New York Jets for a 2011 3rd round draft pick (that could become a 2nd round draft pick based on Cromartie's 2010 performance).

While I would've preferred to trade Cromartie to a non-conference team, this is not a bad move and the Chargers actually got very good value for a guy that they absolutely did not want on the roster anymore.

The list of positions the Chargers need to fill after today's moves: Starting RB, Nickel CB, Starting NT.

via prod.static.chargers.clubs.nfl.com

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According to Kassim Osgood's Twitter:

Jamal Williams is officially gone too! who is next? stay tuned. and thank u guys for the support. damn good people following me. (tears)

I think I know Kassim well enough to know that he's not one to play games like that, especially with a team leader like Jamal.  If the big NT really is being released by the Chargers, I get the feeling it's going to be more of a retirement.  The man has had so many injury issues in past seasons, it makes sense that he would be done with the rehab and would want to get out while he can still walk.

This may have played a part in the Chargers tendering Darren Sproles with the 1st and 3rd, because without Jamal the Chargers will unquestionably have to use their 1st round draft pick on a Nose Tackle to replace him.  That means you can expect a lower pick to be used on a RB that can share the load with Sproles and Mike Tolbert.

More photos » Ed Zurga - AP

San Diego Chargers running back Darren Sproles (43). (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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from 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.

More photos » Wade Payne - AP

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Seems some news is trickling out of the Chargers Front Office today as reported on Kevin Acee's Twitter Page:

• I hear and expect the Chargers will put the first and third tender on WR Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd
• Shawne Merriman will receive the first and third tender
• Looks like Marcus McNeill is going to get the first and third also
• Not a done deal, but I'm hearing Cromartie could be a Lion soon. Regardless, Cro has almost certainly played his last game for Chargers

More photos » Denis Poroy - AP

27 days ago: FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2009, file photo, San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson waves to the crowd as he leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in San Diego. Tomlinson has been released by the Chargers, ending a brilliant nine-year run in which he became one of the NFL's greatest running backs. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)

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According to ESPN, LaDainian Tomlinson has been released by the Chargers. The Chargers and LT "restructured" his contract last season, and he was going to get a $2 million bonus and $3 million in base salary in the deal coming off his least productive season as a pro. We've all gone over this decision ad nauseum and we knew it was coming and this just makes it official.

As far as the AFC West goes, I don't really see LT being a fit on any of the other AFC West teams. The Raiders are stacked at RB, the Chiefs have a young super-star in the making in Jamaal Charles, and the Broncos also have a bunch of young RBs and don't seem to have any desire for an old veteran. 

Thanks for everything LT, you were a tremendously tremendous player. I hope you come coach at San Diego State someday.