Winners and Losers of San Diego Chargers' Offseason so Far
The San Diego Chargers have endured a lot of stress in the offseason, what with the possibility of relocation and all, but like most teams, they have learned to take the bad with the good.
While the stadium issue, reported by KPBS, has created a bit of a distraction, the team has still managed to carry out business as usual with regard to free agency, the draft and contract negotiations. Up to this point, it has been a pretty productive offseason, but it has negatively affected some individuals.
Read on to find out who has and who hasn't benefitted from the offseason thus far.
Winner: Philip Rivers
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Philip Rivers escaped the possibility of being traded this offseason, and the team is now optimistic about tying him down to a long-term extension, per Ian Rapoport of NFL media. With any luck, he could join the $20 million per club, as former sports agent Joel Corry referenced to on CBS Sports.
On top of that, the Chargers provided Rivers with the necessary pieces to succeed next season. He was given a gifted runner in Melvin Gordon, a proven commodity at left guard in Orlando Franklin and an experienced receiver in Stevie Johnson.
Loser: Donald Brown
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Had the Chargers not drafted Gordon in the first round, Donald Brown might actually have a decent-sized workload in the backfield rotation in 2015. However, as the low man on the totem pole, it'll be difficult to get touches, let alone make the team.
Gordon is expected to get the bulk of the carries, with Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver coming in to relieve him.
Winner: Corey Liuget
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Corey Liuget got paid this offseason in the form a five-year extension worth up to $51.25 million, with $30.447 million in guaranteed money, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
His deal is right up there with the highest paid 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL, according to Over the Cap. Only J.J. Watt, Calais Campbell and Cameron Jordan have more lucrative contracts, and they have all gone to at least one Pro Bowl—a feat Liuget has yet to achieve.
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Loser: Eric Weddle
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Frustrated that he hasn't been offered an extension by the Chargers, Eric Weddle continues to be absent from the team's offseason workouts. As GM Tom Telesco explained during a chat with Scott Kaplan and Billy Ray Smith of the Mighty 1090 AM radio (h/t Eric Williams of ESPN): "We're just not at their numbers right now. It's really as simple as that."
Since 2011, Weddle has played 98 percent of the snaps on defense and 49 percent on special teams, per Pro Football Talk. His contributions make him fully deserving of a new contract, but the team has a lot to consider, given he turned 30 this past January.
Winner: O-Line Coach Joe D'Alessandris
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Joe D'Alessandris has not been blessed with the greatest offensive-line talent since he took the job in San Diego two years ago, but 2015 has the potential to be his best group yet barring injuries.
Franklin and former St. Louis Rams tackle Joe Barksdale are promising free-agency additions, and center Chris Watt showed a lot of potential his rookie year. D.J. Fluker could also have a positive impact if he's able to bounce back from his sophomore funk.
Loser: Jahleel Addae
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Jahleel Addae won't be a loser in the offseason if he manages to secure a starting job. He and former Miami Dolphins defensive back Jimmy Wilson are set to compete for the opening at strong safety, which was vacated when Marcus Gilchrist left for the New York Jets in free agency.
Wilson is a bit more experienced, but Addae is well-versed in the system of defensive coordinator John Pagano, having spent two seasons under his tutelage. Both are expected to play next season, but one will get more snaps than the other.
Winner: Defensive Coordinator John Pagano
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Pagano was awarded four of San Diego's five draft picks to help replenish his defense in the offseason, which isn't to mention the Chargers were able to retain cornerback Brandon Flowers in free agency.
Apart from losing Gilchrist, the starting lineup didn't experience much turnover, which should be considered a good thing. Pagano molded last year's group into a top-10 unit in terms of yards allowed per game and top 15 in points allowed per game. Another year together should open the door to bigger and better things in 2015.
Loser: Kendall Reyes
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Kendall Reyes was a productive pass-rusher for the Chargers during his first two seasons, but he practically vanished from the picture in 2014, tallying just one sack in 16 games.
Ricardo Mathews, who flashed with 1.5 sacks as a rotational player, was re-signed to help compensate for Reyes' miscues, as was sixth-round draft pick Darius Philon. In the event Reyes shows signs of struggling, Mathews and Philon may gain more playing time.
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