NFL - Are you Ready For Some Football?! - Wild Card Round!

[DirtyMartini]

It's a shame to see LT hurt for the 2d consecutive post-season. He's got a lot of miles on him, and it's starting to show. Rivers has inherited the on-field team leadership mantle. for now at least.

It will be interesting to see what the Bolts do with personnel in the off-season.

I think LT gave up any claim to leadership early last season -- I seem to remember a bunch of cry-baby press conference antics out of him at that time and some occasional flashes since.

[Ben Kenobi]

They lost by one when it was snowing before.

[Imran Siddiqui]

To the Patriots? Another team that thrives in cold weather .

[Ben Kenobi]

To the Patriots? Another team that thrives in cold weather

To the Steelers just in November.

If that's 'thriving', I think the bloom is off.

[snoopy369]

I don't think anyone would trade for him. That never works out well. Edge in ARI being only the most recent example... you don't trade for over-the-hill overworked stud running backs. They're not worth it.

I think SD will simply release him at some point, probably after next year, and go to the Sproles/Hester double team. Hester does all of the things you list, and overall the pair will be cheaper than LT, particularly with his $60m contract. Once they can afford to take the cap hit to cut him and still end up in the black, I think they will - and should. Stud RBs drop off terribly once they hit their peak, and LT's certainly doing that. He had a pretty good season this year, certainly, but the decline will be rapid for him, I have no doubt.

[Imran Siddiqui]

To the Steelers just in November.

If that's 'thriving', I think the bloom is off.

You think it gets as cold in November as it does in January in Pittsburgh

And remember, 23 degrees on Sunday.

[Ben Kenobi]

I don't think anyone would trade for him. That never works out well. Edge in ARI being only the most recent example... you don't trade for over-the-hill overworked stud running backs. They're not worth it.

They won their last game because of Edge. Not really the best point.

I think SD will simply release him at some point, probably after next year, and go to the Sproles/Hester double team.

Won't happen. The Chargers will let Sproles walk before they let LT even sniff free agency. They certainly won't cut Tomlinson before his contract is up. It's all about respect. The man has done more for San Diego then just about anyone else, and the Chargers will return that respect in kind.

Also, you have to remember that you would be giving up on a top 5 back in the NFL, who rushed for 1100 yards this last season and 11tds. It ain't happening.

Hester does all of the things you list, and overall the pair will be cheaper than LT, particularly with his $60m contract.

First off, Sproles has never started, let alone for a full season. Tomlinson, despite his injury still ran for 1100 yards. Not happening.

The only reason he would ever retire at the end of this year is if they win the Superbowl. That's it.

Once they can afford to take the cap hit to cut him and still end up in the black, I think they will - and should.

They have excellent cap space. No cap issues. What they might do is ask LT to take a cut, assuming they don't go all the way this year, so that they can resign Rivers, Merriman, and Sproles. Let LT rest up over the off-season, and then run him full bore again next year.

Stud RBs drop off terribly once they hit their peak, and LT's certainly doing that. He had a pretty good season this year, certainly, but the decline will be rapid for him, I have no doubt.

I'm not willing to bet against him. He'll stay with the Chargers till the day he wants to hang them up.

[Supr49er]

It would be nice for Chargers management to treat him that way.

But I have seen the 49ers mishandle Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young and Jerry Rice among others.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Though the Niners won 5 championships in 15 years, so they must have been doing something right .

While, arguably, Montana should have been handled better, Steve Young was ready to go and without him they wouldn't have won the 5th.

[snoopy369]

Ben, I hope you're right - but history is not kind, either on the reducing skills of RBs, nor of teams treating their players that way (largely because of the cap). If it's a choice between (LT) and (Sproles+Merriman+Rivers), they'll make that choice in a minute; and LT will likely prefer to look elsewhere for a good, high guaranteed money contract, rather than lower his salary just to stay with the Bolts.

And I seriously hope you're not arguing Edge had a good season this year, or was a success with the Cards. You wouldn't be so silly, I know you wouldn't.

[Ben Kenobi]

Ben, I hope you're right - but history is not kind, either on the reducing skills of RBs, nor of teams treating their players that way (largely because of the cap). If it's a choice between (LT) and (Sproles+Merriman+Rivers), they'll make that choice in a minute; and LT will likely prefer to look elsewhere for a good, high guaranteed money contract, rather than lower his salary just to stay with the Bolts.

Merriman hasn't been exactly injury-free or productive last season. I can see Rivera making the argument that they don't need Merriman. Given their excellent managing I don't think they will have a problem holding onto all three, and so the discussion is moot.

As for LT taking a paycut, I could definitely seeing him do so just so he could stay with the Chargers. He's always been a team player.

And I seriously hope you're not arguing Edge had a good season this year, or was a success with the Cards. You wouldn't be so silly, I know you wouldn't.

No, I was watching him to see how he would do, and was impressed with his last game. I think it would be a mistake for AZ to give up on Edge.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Seeing as how Edge has never hit 4 yards a carry in a season with Arizona yet.... he may have to take a pay cut.

[SlowwHand]

3.8 and 3.9 the last 2 years. It won't be much of a cut.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You do know those numbers aren't all that good, right?

[SlowwHand]

Why are they worse than the myriad of numbers you throw out?