San Diego Chargers: Recapping the Latest Buzz Heading into Training Camp

The San Diego Chargers have been in the news a lot this offseason, and it doesn't seem to be letting up before training camp.

Before the doors open at Chargers Park, it's best we look back on all that's happened thus far and how it will impact next season. From contract disputes to stadium talks to a face of the franchise getting disciplined by the league, this offseason has definitely been one of the most newsworthy in recent memory. San Diego is known for being laid back, but 2015 is beginning to look like quite the opposite.

Here's a recap of the latest buzz surrounding the team as it heads into training camp.

Philip Rivers Still Without an Extension

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

Rivers was a legitimate MVP candidate through the first six games of last season until injuries slowed him down, but at the ripe age of 33, his best football is yet to come. With a refurbished offensive line and a new toy in Melvin Gordon, 2015 is shaping up to be hugely successful for Rivers.

But as many of you already know, this may be the last hurrah for Rivers in a Chargers uniform, as his contract is set to expire after this season. In May, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that the Chargers are optimistic about a long-term extension with Rivers, but nothing has developed since then. The five-time Pro Bowler enters camp uncertain of his future in 2016, but at the very least, he should know that a sterling performance next season will add to his value.

Melvin Gordon, Fellow Draft Picks Aiming for Playing Time

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The Chargers felt it right to go all in on Gordon by trading up in the first round to get him, and as such, there will be high expectations for him to come out with guns blazing for the starting gig at running back. Branden Oliver, who led the team in rushing last season, appears to be the primary back heading into camp, but Gordon is the odds-on favorite to take it from him.

If Gordon is unable to do so, it won't bode well for his confidence. He was so effective at Wisconsin because the offense ran through him. With anything less than a featured role, he'll be limited in the damage he's able to bring on defenses.

Fellow draftees Denzel Perryman and Craig Mager will also face pressure to some degree. As Day 2 picks, they will be expected to contribute in some fashion, even if that means working out of a rotation.

Eric Weddle Not in the Long-Term Plans for Chargers

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Upon return from his holdout, Weddle fired back at the organization that he spent the last eight seasons with by giving them an ultimatum. If a multiyear extension is not agreed upon before training camp, the two-time first-team All-Pro has instructed his agent to not speak with the Chargers again, setting him up to be a free agent in 2016, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

That said, Weddle still plans on having "the best season ever for a safety" even if his demands for a new deal are not met. And don't think he's incapable of doing so. He was outstanding in 2014, and the folks at Bleacher Report NFL 1000 rewarded him as such with the top spot among his peers at the position. Another year on top would make him a wanted man in free agency, if that's the route he plans on going.

Chargers Ownership, San Diego Officials on Different Paths

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Team ownership and San Diego city officials seem to be growing apart in the fight to get a new stadium. As David Garrick of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported earlier this week, "San Diego officials are moving rapidly forward with environmental studies required for a public stadium vote in January despite the Chargers calling that impossible last month when they terminated negotiations."

And just last month, Dean Spanos and Raiders owner Mark Davis met in Los Angeles to discuss the proposed shared stadium venture in Carson with city officials, per Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. This is a sign that both franchises are losing confidence in their respective cities getting the go-ahead on new stadiums.

We can only speculate this may be the last season for the Chargers in San Diego, and if it is, will they be able to leave the ultimate parting gift of a Lombardi Trophy?

Antonio Gates Suspended 4 Games for PEDs

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Gate was among those to be handed a suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances last Thursday, which comes as a huge surprise considering his squeaky-clean reputation over the past 12 seasons. In the statement he released following the news of his four-game ban, Gates insists he "never knowingly ingested a banned substance" and blames the positive test on "holistic medicines and supplements," which he took to recover from last season.

Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe isn't sold on Gates' logic, going so far as to say Gates "cheated the game" in an interview with Bob Papa and Vic Carucci on Sirius XM NFL Radio. Could this potentially tarnish the legacy of someone who might have been a shoo-in for Canton?

Meanwhile, the focus has now turned on fourth-year man Ladarius Green as he prepares to fill some big shoes at tight end. His four-game audition, defined cleverly by ESPN.com's Eric Williams, will take place against Detroit, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Cleveland. Green has been on the verge of a breakout season since his sophomore year in 2013, and now he will finally get the playing time necessary to make it happen.