Could the Chargers Part Ways with LaDainian Tomlinson in 2009?

Just hours before their divisional playoff game in Pittsburgh, there is plenty of talk about Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and not only his status for today’s game, (listed as doubtful and unlikely to play) but also about his long term future in San Diego.

Today on NFL.com they have an interesting tidbit on Tomlinson and his possible departure from the west coast.

The Chargers will have to discuss, if they haven’t already, whether it’s worth bringing back RB LaDainian Tomlinson with his contract structured the way that it is. Tomlinson is scheduled to count $8.97 million against San Diego’s salary cap next season. But if they traded or released Tomlinson, the Chargers would free up $6.725 million worth of salary-cap space—quite a bit for a team that would like to re-sign free-agent-to-be RB Darren Sproles and also will try to re-sign its QB, Philip Rivers, to a long-term extension.

Sproles is set to be a free agent this March, and it may come down to the Chargers looking to move L.T. and keeping Sproles, who had a huge game last week vs Indy.

San Diego already lost RB Michael Turner last year in free agency, and we all saw what he did with the Falcons this past year. Tomlinson’s current injury does nothing but further cloud his status with the Chargers.