smg93

Drew Brees led the chargers to the playoffs two years ago and came within a game or so from taking them back there last year. When was the last time SD had that much success?

What's disturbing is the fact that Brees is now considered one of the hottest free agents out there and they got nothing for him. Rivers may be the next Joe Montana, but at the very least, the Chargers could have done a sign and trade so they could at least get another player or a draft pick in return.

I believe AJ Smith and Spanos did this because they've got a huge investment in Rivers already and they knew that if they signed Brees, Schottenheimer would have given them trouble if they tried to trade him. If they signed him and weren't able to trade him because of Schottenheimer, the writing would be clearly on the wall. Rivers would be left sitting on the bench "earning" his millions and Brees would start because there would be no reason to put Brees on the bench after all the success he's had the past two years save for injury. It would be a PR nightmare if they tried to do that.

I think AJ Smith is trying to get Marty fired because he doesn't get along with him. If Rivers starts and SD ends up with a poor record, off goes the HC. I suspect that this situation which was created by the GM and possibly the owner is exactly the reason why Eli Manning refused to sign with the Chargers, though frankly as a general rule I'm not sure I like rookies dictating where they want to play. It defeats the whole purpose of the draft (unless of course Reggie Bush decided he would play only for the PATS ). I think a team needs a solid and consistent strategy that is followed by both the GM and the HC in order to win in this tough and competitive league. SD obviously doesn't have this. If Eli did not have any reason to smile during this off season, I'm sure the Chargers just provided him with one.

BelichickFan

And they're replacing him with a totally untested guy, it's really weird.

edzo44

Maybe not too weird, after all this is the same organization that thought Rodney was done and let him go much to their chagrin. At least this time they have an understandable reason that you can't hold on to both QB's forever and remain fiscally responsible to the team. Let one of them go and get a cheaper , experienced backup to mentor Rivers if he becomes the number one QB; or, hang on to Brees and trade Rivers.

All its going to do otherwise is cause 2 Quarterbacks to get more and more ticked off and frustrated. Bad for the team and bad for the QB's. At least they finally are getting off the pot to dump one of the QB's. Whether or not it's the right one will be determined rather quickly. Whatever team gets Brees is going to definitely be getting one motivated S.O.B. trying to prove the Chargers made a huge mistake, particularly if he goes to a team with WR's that can hold onto a ball!!

__________________
We've had a bunch of practices. We're going out there everyday. They're tired. They're sore. There's a little bit of information overload, but it is pro football. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy."

- - - Bill Belichick

broadwayjoe

It will be interesting to see how the Chargers do without Drew Brees I think its a major mistake but some team is going to be smiling for sure.

hwc

The thing people are overlooking with Brees is the nature of the injury he suffered at the end of the season. I think we have to look no further than Chad Pennington to know that serious shoulder injuries can pretty much kill an NFL QBs career. There is no guarantee that Brees won't return as a "noodlearm".

You have to think long and hard about signing a QB to a big-money deal months before he will even be healthy enought to start throwing the ball a little bit. Nobody will know if Brees will even be able to play effectively until next season is well underway.

Remember, everyone said that Pennington would bounce back, too. He was a cripple from day one last year.

Boston Boxer

If Bree checks out medically, they should keep him and trade Rivers for a first round draft pick. There are many teams that would do that...Jets, Dolphins, Minny come to mind. They are letting Bree go because they have a crap load of money invested in Rivers

hwc

But, that's the problem. Nobody is really going to know if Brees will be healthy until deep into the 2006 season. Look at Pennington last year. Everyone "claimed" that he was "healthy" after rotator cuff surgery, but he clearly wasn't and then reinjured the same shoulder.

As of today, when the Chargers have to decide whether to throw many millions at Brees, he can't even toss a football around the back yard.

We aren't talking about a simple injury with a guaranteed recovery. If he loses the zip on the out pattern, he's finished as an effective NFL QB.

arrellbee

If they trade him at this point in his contract, the Chargers eat the entire remaining signing bonus against the salary cap AND are out that money they paid up front without ever getting any value in playing time.

Fanfrom1960

I guess they couldn't see Rodney behind Junior Seau. San Diego has a head coach problem, don't know about their front office, ownership.

fillip

i think that Schottenheimer, when he came in, didn't want to work with the talent that was there. he wanted to remake the team. So he did. had some success with it. Some. meanwhile, the main man, possibly one of the best horses in the history of the league, lt, gets older and his best years are wasted on a team that's never been built around him as it could and should have been.

That's my view, anyway.