Will LaDainian Tomlinson's Injury Make Him the Next Shaun Alexander?

There are 28 NFL teams currently plotting their offseason chess moves. Personnel decisions sit high on priority lists as the beginning of free agency hangs in the balance.

Tough choices have to be made as potentially heart-breaking sacrifices for the future of the organization hang in the balance.

Unfortunately for some fans, this would mean parting ways with players whose legacies transcend the very uniform they wear.

The question of loyalty arises. Most teams holds players on pedestals and choose to give them a couple more seasons than they deserve—severely hindering growth opportunities.

The late Bill Walsh would never let such emotions influence a critical football decision.

And as the rumor wheels prepare to kick into another gear, the chatter is swirling around the former MVP LaDainian Tomlinson and his future with the San Diego Chargers.

Injuries Ruin Legacies

How does an organization honor a man whose body has been beaten and sacrificed for the greater good of their team?

Usually by releasing them, and then finding a way to reconcile, and honor them a few years down the line.

LaDainian Tomlinson's injuries in recent years point to a man who no longer has the physical strength to be the runner he once was. A torn tendon in his groin limited him in the playoffs, and nagging injuries over the last two seasons have people questioning his future.

And that's when the business side of the league rears its ugly head. 

By heading into the 2009 season without Tomlinson, the Chargers wouldn't be making an evil, disrespectful decision. They'd be making the same difficult one Seattle had to make when they released Shaun Alexander.

Making the heart-breaking decision early would only help the Chargers place themselves in a better position in the future.

After being dismissed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional round, Chargers president Dean Spanos has yet to give a glowing endorsement of L.T. and his future.

In fact, Spanos' only comments revolve around "discussions" and things "that must be considered."

In the NFL, that's enough to know what an organization is thinking.

A Hero or a Hindrance?

The mere suggestion of a San Diego Chargers team without No. 21 in the backfield is blasphemy to Bolts fans.

The things L.T. did for that organization—the credibility he helped them attain—were all done on the strength of his legs.

Fans love him, and rightfully so. But what are the preferred memories?

Do fans want to remember the electrifying Tomlinson who was clearly the best player on the field at all times?

Or do they want to remember the runner hobbled by injuries, becoming a liability on the field as he took critical playing time away from someone who could outperform him?

After Darren Sproles' elusiveness was on display for all to see, people are preparing themselves for a future with the little guy being the primary runner. Could loyalty to L.T. stifle his growth?

It gets to a point where it's no longer about money and contracts, but about where the team hopes to be after the inevitable retirement.

No can fault the Chargers for contemplating the decision. They understand L.T.'s iconic status in the NFL. But every rational fan understands the implications with keeping around an aging runner out of respect to his career.