As the free agency deadline approaches, the San Diego Chargers have made a couple of surprise moves by releasing their biggest man and keeping their littlest. The UT is reporting the Chargers have released All-Pro veteran defensive tackle Jamal Williams and placed a first and third round tender on running back Darren Sproles.
Jamal Williams has been with the team for 12 seasons after being drafted out of Oklahoma St. in the 2nd round of the ’98 draft. Williams would have been due a $1-million bonus and was scheduled to earn $5-million next year. He was limited to one game last year when he suffered a triceps injury in the first game of the season against Oakland Raiders. It’s been a pleasure watching Jamal dominate opposing offensive linemen all these years and his presence in the middle will definitely be missed and should be remembered as one of the all-time great Chargers.
Darren Sproles was told last week by Chargers officials that he would not be tendered and would be allowed to test the free agent market. However, today the Chargers placed the first and third round tender on him which will increase his 2010 salary to over $7-million. I think it’s unlikely the Chargers will be willing to pay that much for him so I’m guessing a long term deal or trade is on the horizon.
Kassim Osgood is reportedly on his way out the door as well after according to his Twitter account (@kassimosgood) he was told there was a 0% chance of him getting any playing time at WR. The special teams standout has aspirations of playing receiver in the NFL but the Chargers have better options so the former SDSU Aztec will test free agency.
With the release of Jamal, how about packaging Sproles, Cromartie and SD’s 1st round pick to the Rams for their 1st pick and get Suh…? Yeah, I know, dream on…never happen.
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I’m hearing rumblings about the chargers picking defensive linesman in the 1st and 2nd rounds and switching to a 4-3 defense which rivera is use to. I like the sproles move. Too bad for jamal and osgood.
4-3 doesn’t make sense with Phillips and Merriman, they’re outside 3-4 guys. Sproles isn’t a $7MM guy, gotta negotiate a long term or trade him…I think he’s a goner. They might bring Jamal back for less $$ and a diminished role.
as great as 21 was, i’m going to miss 76 more (on defense at least). it took weeks for rivera to adjust to his absence and he won’t be replaced. it’d be nice to see him back, but seems they’d negotiate before cutting him?
q:what are all the restricted free agents around the league going to do to team/player morale?