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In what could only be classified as a stunning turn of events, San Diego Chargers offensive left tackle Marcus McNeill was at Chargers Park on Wednesday to speak with Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, however no deal was reached.
McNeill, a two-time Pro Bowler, had requested the meeting with Smith so that both parties could get concise picture of the situation, and to know exactly where each other stands regarding his contract. However, neither Smith, nor McNeill’s agent, Alvin Keels would confrim the meeting ever took place.
Smith taking his normal stance on the labor dispute had this to say,
“I wish you would listen to me,” when asked about the meeting with McNeill. “As I’ve said before, I’m done talking about Marcus McNeill until he returns. If he does return, I would be more than happy to talk about him.”
Word had spread throughout the Chargers training facility that McNeill was in fact there. His car was parked in front of the building, then he went upstairs to speak with Smith alone.
A few teammates have remained in contact with McNeill, and some were hoping that the meeting between the two would create some headway in resolving the matter.
McNeill, confirmed that he was in “lock-step” with his agent, and would maintain vigil of his season long holdout if he wasn’t granted a long-term contract extentsion.
The Chargers sent letters to McNeill, and fellow holdout, wide receiver Vincent Jackson last week informing them that they would be placed on the Roster-Exempt List had they not signed their one-year Unrestricted Free Agent tenders by August 20.
If placed on the Roster-Exempt List by the Chargers, McNeill and Jackson would have to sit-out a minimum of three games before being eligible to play.
Many speculate that McNeill and Jackson would return no later than Week 10, in order to accrue the minimum six games required for a full season towards free agency.
McNeill’s tender is currently worth $630,000, had he signed it by the imposed deadline A.J. Smith had set back on June 15, he would have made $3.168 million for the 2010 season. That results in a loss of $2.5 million over the season.
According to Chargers head coach Norv Turner, Brandyn Dombrowski will get the start against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday after back-up Tyronne Green, who had been taking all the first-team snaps on Tuesday, sat out of practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury.
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As disgruntled Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson and Chargers general manager A.J. Smith clash, hostility between the two oversized egos continues to grow.
Jackson is seeking a lucrative contract extension after he posted career highs receptions (68), yards (1,167), and touchdowns (9). But Chargers Pro Bowl left tackle Marcus McNeill is also demanding a pay raise, leaving Smith in a bind.
Chances are, Smith and the Chargers will pay McNeill because he is more vital to their immediate success. San Diego has Antonio Gates plus two potentially solid receivers in Malcolm Floyd and Legedu Naanee, whom allow the Chargers to maintain a solid passing game sans Jackson.
If Jackson refuses to report to camp and continues his holdout past the August 20th deadline the Chargers have given him, a trade would appear to be the most logical solution. A.J. Smith has shown that he is far more concerned with winning than loyalty and caving into holdouts, (he let L.T. and Antonio Cromartie walk) so if the price is right, Jackson could most definitely be shipped off.
Obviously, there’s an abundance of concerns with a Vincent Jackson trade. First of all, he’s accumulated two DUIs, and will serve a three game suspension to begin the 2010 season, which brings up the ole “character concerns.” But look at Brandon Marshall and the Dolphins. The Fins looked past Marshall’s issues, and upon acquiring the Pro Bowler were instantly upgraded from borderline playoff contender to sleeper Super Bowl pick.
Secondly, whichever team acquires him will have to sign a hefty paycheck to get him on the field.
But there are a handful of teams who would infinitely benefit from Jackson’s services. If they surrender the cash and handle the character concerns, these five teams could improve anywhere from sub-.500 to Super Bowl contenders.
With only three days left until the San Diego Chargers take the stage for the first time in the 2010 season, it is time to take a look at some people who may be feeling the heat this coming season.
Not all of the talk this off season has been about player issues. While Vincent Jackson, Marcus McNeill, and LaDainian Tomlinson have certainly hogged the limelight in the last few months, there is no doubt that some of the personnel of the San Diego Chargers have drawn attention for their actions both in the off season and in the preceding years.
There are three San Diego staff members in particular who, because of one reason or another, may be on the hot seat in 2010.
1. Norv Turner, Head Coach
Yes, yes, yes, he received a contract extension. Yes, he led the San Diego Chargers to a 13-3 record last season. Yes, he has turned Philip Rivers in to a potential future Hall of Famer. Yes, he can win in the post season.
There is no doubt that Norv Turner has done some good for this team. He has done everything listed above, even in the face of some criticism that is unwarranted.
That having been said, Turner has some reason to feel the heat. The first, and probably weakest, reason is that he is hated by most San Diego fans. His first few seasons as the head honcho in San Diego were rough, not just in the overall record, but in the absolute destruction of the running game.
This leads into the second mark against Turner: the dead of the Chargers’ famous running game.
LaDainian Tomlinson is a household name in San Diego. Lorenzo Neal is still a hero among the Chargers’ faithful. Despite the fact that this league is turning into a passing league, everyone enjoys great running plays, and nothing supports a passing game like a good running game.
While some continue to blame this on the aging of LT, it is clear that there were also changes to the running game that came with Turner. The offensive line changed their blocking, and the Chargers did away with true blocking fullbacks.
Norv Turner will not be dropped at the end of this year. However, if he fails to make a deep playoff run, or at least revive the running game, Turner could be signing his future death warrant.
2. Ron Rivera, Defensive Coordinator
Every Chargers’ faithful remembers the good old days of 2006 and 2007 when San Diego had the most feared defense in the league.
They had a turnover ratio that would make Tom Brady shake in his boots, and put up enough sacks to rattle any offensive line.
Then Wade Phillips left. Shawne Merriman got hurt. Things changed, and they have never come back around.
Ron Rivera was a good hire. He was successful in Chicago, and he has worked with some storied coaches in his past. However, he came into San Diego to coach a team that runs a 3-4 defense.
His previous experience was with a 4-3 and Tampa 2 defense. Problem? Sort of.
Rivera has created a fascinating and dynamic scheme for San Diego. However, it hasn’t quite taken hold yet, and it is failing to turn heads.
If Ron Rivera can’t start bringing pressure to opposing quarterbacks and generating turnovers, he could find himself looking for a new job sometime quite soon.
3. A.J. Smith, General Manager
There has been so much debate over this topic that I can’t even begin to sort through all the opposing viewpoints. So, here’s a point by point breakdown of the things working against him:
- His drafting: While his drafting hasn’t been particularly bad, it hasn’t been as good as it once was. He is much better at seeking out replacement talent than he is at finding it in the draft. It’s hard to estimate how much of that lies on him and how much of that lies on his scouts, but, in the end, it all falls on him.
- His ego: The holdout fiasco with Vincent Jackson, Shawne Merriman, and Marcus McNeill have shown the people of San Diego the true colors of their general manager. AJ Smith is as stubborn as an ox. He wants everything to be on his terms, all the time, no exceptions. While this approach can be helpful at times, his actions so far have hurt the Chargers’ chances at a Super Bowl run, and he has also alienated a lot of former players and fans.
While these three may all make it through the 2010 season with their jobs intact, they will all certainly feel pressure to perform.
If they fail to meet expectations again, they could all be building cases against themselves that could end their time in San Diego in the very near future.
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As the August heat wears on NFL training camps across America and preseason games spring into action, a hot issue, for a third straight year, is what the NFL should do about the preseason schedule.
It is becoming more and more inevitable that the league will cut back from four preseason games and tack on more regular season games, but the logistics of such schedule alterations aren’t straightforward.
We are inside a year of the current collective bargaining agreement expiration date—March 2011—and the owners and players union continue to play a game of chicken over revenues.
Commissioner Roger Goodell, the man in charge of maximizing fan experience while making sure there is football to play next fall, knows changes are coming.
“The fans have made it incredibly clear that they don’t like preseason games,” Goodell told profootballtalk.com’s Mike Florio last week on The Dan Patrick Show. “So the idea of taking two preseason games and converting them to regular season has a lot of appeal. But you have to do it in a comprehensive fashion that is going to ensure that the game stays safe for our players.”
Yes, the players union has expressed concern that adding more regular season games significantly increases the risk of injury for players, but that’s not the hang-up on the issue. The hang-up, of course, is money.
The talk of shortening the preseason schedule is nothing new, as owners have been talking about the subject for a couple of years now. But what the players get out of it is the question.
A 2007 Sports Business Daily report estimated that preseason ticket sales generate approximately $400 million league-wide, making them a cash cow for owners. How so?
According to the Sports Business Daily report, season-ticket holders pay the same price for a preseason game as they do for a regular season game. There is no discount regardless of the fact that fans won’t get to see star players for more than a half, maybe a little more, at any one time during the preseason.
In the fourth preseason week, teams don’t care about the game; they only care about getting to Week One healthy.
Players, on the other hand, don’t get a large cut of the preseason revenue. Their contracts are spread out over a 17-game regular season schedule, so they are not taking in a regular-season game check in any game prior to Week One of the regular season.
Players receive a stipend for playing in the preseason, and that’s it. The rest of the money fattens owners’ pockets. Owners and front office personnel acknowledge this but maintain the stance that preseason games are imperative for the team.
“We make money off preseason games, but we need them for our evaluations,” San Diego Chargers GM A.J. Smith said a couple years ago.
Commissioner Goodell likes the idea of sticking with the 20-game format, but going with 17 or 18 regular season games and three or two preseason games, respectively.
The NFL already generates more than $6 billion annually, and that would only increase with more regular season games.
But players want to be better compensated for those extra regular season games because they aren’t falling for the “20 games is 20 games” trap that the league tries to sell. Starting players play limited minutes in preseason games, if they play at all, so four preseason games isn’t close to the same beating they take in four regular season games.
Naturally, increased player compensation isn’t exactly what the owners have in mind. One issue with the ongoing CBA talks is that the league wants the players to take an approximately 18 percent cut in revenue.
At a time when money has never been more abundant for the NFL, it’s idiotic to ask players to reduce their earning power while increasing the amount of time spent banging bodies at full speed.
All fans would prefer more regular season games. Preseason games are boring and meaningless. The only reason the Hall of Fame game gets any ratings is because football fans have been starving for their sport ever since the clock ran out on the Super Bowl in February.
But if the preseason was completely done away with, even, there would be no love lost amongst fans. Give them full schedules on Sundays, games that mean something, and they will be happy.
The league can continue to talk about all the great things they are going to do for fans by shortening the preseason and giving them more of the star players, but it’s all irrelevant until a new CBA is worked out.
Why the owners want to play hardball with the players is a mystery. The owners have more to lose, as it’s the players who drive the league. With no players, there’s no NFL, and there’s no revenue.
Once the league and union work out a new CBA and agree on compensation going forward, then Goodell can turn his attention to revamping the preseason docket and increasing the quality of the league.
Everybody will be happy and open to changes that make the NFL an even more desirable experience for its fans. The owners will, ultimately, get the increased revenues that they desire.
Yes, we may have fewer than four preseason games in August 2011.
We also may not have any games at all.
Follow Teddy Mitrosilis on Twitter. You can reach him at tm4000@yahoo.com.
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The NFL is unlike any other sport in that during the preseason, every team’s fan base can be truly hopeful their team can make the playoffs. That being said, some teams have better odds entering the season than others. For instance, it’s easy to see the Dallas Cowboys are more likely to make the playoffs than the Cleveland Browns, but that doesn’t mean that the opposite couldn’t happen. Perhaps the NFL does truly stand for “Not For Long.”
The following is a preseason NFL power ranking of all 32 teams. It is not solely based upon last year, but on predicted success for next season, overall talent level, organizational stability, and team health. However, this is just a preseason ranking, and I still remember when no one thought a former grocery bag boy named Kurt Warner could win a Super Bowl.
Power Rankings
1. Dallas Cowboys
Last season, Tony Romo, Mike Jenkins, and Anthony Spencer all took gigantic steps in their development.
2. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is a monster and B.J. Raji has the potential to be an elite 3-4 nose, further strengthening an already fantastic defense.
3. New Orleans Saints
The Saints’ organization is currently in the midst of perhaps the most intense Super Bowl hangover ever. But hey, it was fun while it lasted.
4. Indianapolis Colts
I have heard rumors this offseason that the Colts are going to diversify their boring and predictable running game. They better.
5. Baltimore Ravens
I am high enough on Joe Flacco and Ray Rice that I am willing to overlook their woeful secondary, for now.
6. New York Jets
Their success depends on whether or not Sanchez can take the next step and the organization stops lying to players about contract extensions.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
If Caron Palmer plays like he did last year, the Bengals are pretenders, however, if Palmer can regain his old form this team is a contender.
8. New England Patriots
Tom Brady is another year removed from his injury and the secondary has terrifying potential.
9. New York Giants
Eli Manning has officially become an elite quarterback and new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is not woefully inept and distant like Bill Sheridan.
10. San Diego Chargers
Would be much higher on this list if general manager A.J. Smith would figure out it’s about winning and not his enormously unjustified ego.
11. Minnesota Vikings
This is assuming Favre returns. Their offensive line and secondary is much weaker than people think.
12. Atlanta Falcons
Without a consistent pass rusher, this team will not make the playoffs. No pressure John Abraham.
13. Philadelphia Eagles
Team youth and inexperience is a problem, but they can score points and kill an opposing quarterback.
14. Washington Redskins
Mike Shanahan and Donavon McNabb together is all I need to put them this high.
15. San Francisco 49ers
Alex Smith is on the edge. If he blows it, the team will tank and he might not ever become a starter in the NFL again. If he nails it, his team will make the playoffs and he will get a huge new contract.
16. Oakland Raiders
Great special teams, above average defense, and a stable offense; is this really the Raiders? Maybe Al Davis is starting to remember what made him so great back in the day.
17. Houston Texans
Watching the Texans trying to build their defensive line around Mario Williams reminds me of the Cavs trying to build around LeBron, a massive organizational failure.
18. Detroit Lions
I really do believe in my gut that when all is said and done the Lions will make the playoffs, but logically I can’t justify that.
19. Tennessee Titans
It was a bad offseason for the entire Titans organization. From a coach being stolen, an out of shape Kenny Britt, Vince Young beating a guy, and Chris Johnson’s contract.
20. Miami Dolphins
I love Chad Henne’s arm strength and moxie, but not his inability to manipulate his throwing motion and release point. He will be a player I follow closely this season.
21. Chicago Bears
I expect the Julius Peppers signing and Mike Martz hiring to actually work out. But the lack of overall talent and Lovie Smith being mired in a bad coaching slump is too concerning to overlook.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have had an offseason of horrors. Their best pass catcher was traded for a bag of peanuts and their quarterback was suspended for being sleazy. Also serious injury concerns exist for several key players and their pass protection is still abysmal.
23. Seattle Seahawks
I like the changes that Pete Carroll has made to the Seahawks’ roster and organization, but Tim Ruskell left them in ruins. I mean LeRoy Hill, seriously?
24. Arizona Cardinals
One of Antrel Rolle, Kurt Warner, or Karlos Dansby leaving would have been bad; all three being gone is a catastrophe.
25. Kansas City Chiefs
Their season hinges on whether Glenn Dorsey and Lawrence Jackson can step up to the plate and produce. Obviously I have my concerns.
26. Cleveland Browns
I might be one of the few who believe that Eric Mangini and Mike Holmgren can form a successful long-term partnership. But in the short-term, Jake Delhomme is their staring quarterback.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
A talented team, but the Bucs are raw and inexperienced. However Josh Freeman does look like the real deal.
28. Carolina Panthers
Jon Beason moving to the weak side to replace an injured Thomas Davis is the kind of shortsighted, desperate decision-making I expect of an organization on the hot seat.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
Power struggles behind closed doors, rumors about relocation, a coach on the hot seat, an average quarterback, and a bad defense. Not a formula for NFL success.
30. St. Louis Rams
I go to bed at night feeling bad for Steven Jackson, and the dude makes $50 million more than I do.
31. Buffalo Bills
Worst quarterback situation in the NFL and they cut their best defensive player because they wanted to be nice to him. Yeah this will go well.
32. Denver Broncos
Being eaten alive by the injury bug.
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