Chargers GM promises more announcements on player moves

After reviewing the A.J. Smith press conference which is available to any fan on Chargers.com, just have a real player plug-in, and you too can hear it from the man himself that more moves are in the works, not only with the Bolts own restricted and unrestricted players as well as potential moves in the free-agent market which starts on March 3rd.

A.J. Smith press conference fall out

As I have pointed out the big question around Chargers Nation has been will Drew Brees be re-signed? or allowed to test the market and sign with another team? based on A.J. Smith's comments and his past history it seems that Brees is all but gone. More news: Courtney Van Buren a 3rd rounder from Arkansas St. from the 2003 draft will not be tendered an offer and is free to sign with any team, it seems that Van Buren a 6'6 350 lb. OT is not in the teams plans. Also expected to hit the free agent market OG Bob Hallen, WR Reche Caldwell, DE/DT DeQuincy Scott, SS Jerry Wilson (released), CB Jamar Fletcher, TE Justin Peelle and OLB Ben Leber. Restricted Free-Agents that will be tendered an offer will be OG Kris Dielman, MLB Matt Wilhelm and OLB Stephen Cooper.

Chargers Nation: Chargers re-structuring 3rd string QB's contract.

Chargers Nation: Chargers re-structuring 3rd string QB's contract.

Suprise move: Pinnock gets 5 year extension

RB/FB Andrew Pinnock received a 5 year contract extension, the 4th year vet from the University of South Carolina played in 12 games last year and rushed for 4 yards on 1 attempt. I was of the opinion that Pinnock did not merit a roster spot based on his lack of playing time and vague involvement on special teams. Certainly Chargers brass see's something in him that we the fans don't or have not. More moves to come for sure as the Bolts re-tool and re-load for a run at Super Bowl XLI.

The NFL gives a preliminary list of opponents for each team in 2006

The NFL has given each team a list of opponents for the 2006 season. The actual date and time are to be given out to the press and fans a week before the NFL draft.

Chargers re-structuring 3rd string QB's contract.

A.J. Smith the Chargers G.M continues his busy off-season by re-doing the contract for 3rd string QB A.J. Feely who was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Miami Dolphins. Feely was the Dolphins starting QB in 2005, but was not very successful, and fell out of favor with new head coach Nick Saban so he was shipped to San Diego along with a conditional 6th round pick in 2006 in return for the Bolts third string QB Cleo Lemon, who's main duty in a Chargers uniform was to hold a clipboard and star in the second half of most pre-season games. Feely was originally acquired by the Dolphins from the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional 2nd round draft pick after going 4-1 as a stand in for Donovan McNabb after he went down with an injury.

A.J. Smith keeps busy before free agency period

A.J Smith the Chargers G.M. has kept busy in 2006 by re-signing back up defensive end Jacques Cesaire to a 5 year contract extension, details were not disclosed, but this keeps the backup defensive lineman from becoming a restricted free-agent. In all 4 Chargers who had an opportunity to explore free-agency in some form, have agreed to return to the team for 2006: WR Kassim Osgood, S Clinton Hart, LB Carlos Polk and now Cesaire, more signings are expected as the G.M. has indicated that the agent for Drew Bress has been given the team's initial contract offer. Some other key contract situations that bear watching are restricted free agents to be back up LB Matt Wilhelm and starting OG Kris Dielman both rank high on the free agent list at their respective positions.

Bolts Pro-Bowl representatives get ready for Hawaii

6 Chargers led by perenial All-Pro's RB LaDanian Tomlinson and TE Antonio Gates get ready to exhibit their skills one last time for the 2005 season by completing practice sessions with the rest of the AFC squad in the annual All-Pro game in Honolulu, HI. Both players indicated they were a bit rusty, since the last game they played was in late December, but once they get into the flow of things it would not take them long to get their bodies up to speed. Other lightningbolts participating in the game include FB Lorenzo Neal, DT Jamal Williams, LB Shawne Merriman, and special teamer/ reserve safety Hanik Milligan. This is the largest group of Chargers to make it to Hawaii since the 1982 season (that year they sent 7) and most likely would have tied that mark with the 1982 squad if QB Drew Brees had not suffered his shoulder injury in the last game of the season, Brees was listed as a first alternate Pro-Bowl QB and from all accounts he would have been a shoe in due in large part to a series of injuries to other Pro-Bowl QB's: Tom Brady - hernia surgery this past week and Carson Palmer - season ending knee surgery in the playoffs (mid January). The other Chargers player not mentioned was Punter Mike Scifres who was listed as a second alternate to the Pro-Bowl for the second straight year, the problem for Scifres is not that he isn't good enough, it's that he's punting in a conference full of above average specialists, regardless his punting skills have been Pro-Bowl caliber ever since taking over for the "Mate" Darren Bennett another outstanding punter who represented the Bolts in Hawaii on two different occasions. My guess is when the Chargers make it deep into the playoffs in 2006 Scifres will get the nod next year.

2006 odds on winning Super Bowl XLI

ESPN has posted the Las Vegas odds from the MGM Mirage on winning Super Bowl XLI (41 to those who don't know how to count roman numerals X=10, L=50, I=1 the trick is the positioning of the X which is to the left of the "L" so it's in a position of subtraction) anyway, the Bolts are listed as 10-1 favorites. Of course this is all preliminary and does not include what a team might do in free-agency, or the draft, trades and injuries. Other teams of note: Denver Broncos 15/1, Kansas City Chiefs 22/1, Oakland Raiders 60/1, the last team listed the New York Jets 125/1.

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LB Godfrey to return for one more year

Bolts starting MLB Randall Godfrey has decided to put off retirement for one more year. Godfrey who came from Seattle a couple of years ago, and brought some much needed veteran leadership to a very young Chargers squad, has made up his mind to rejoin a very solid front seven in hopes of making a run to a Super Bowl in 2007, Godfrey was having an above average year again in 2005 when he learned that his sister had been murdered, he put off playing to attend her funeral and missed two games, while sorely being missed, he was welcomed back with opened arms and a lot of hugs, especially after the Chargers super upset of the then 13-0 Colts in Indianapolis. Here's hoping he has a productive and healthy 2007 season.

Fab

The 2006 season begins

Well, it's been a few hours since that team from Pittsburgh won the Super Bore in Detroit. So lets begin the off-season: Our team has a lot of work to do is they are to make it to Miami in February of '07. Question no. 1 begins and ends with the status of Drew Brees' contract, will he be offered a franchise tag or the transition tag? 4th year GM A.J. Smith who plays his cards close to his vest has uncharacteristically stated publicly that a contract offer would be made to Brees, so far no published reports indicating such negotiations are taking place but then again, who knew that A.J. was going to re-sign WR Kassin Ossgood and often-injured LB Carlos Polk?

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