Chargers designate Sproles Franchise Player [Archive] - The Official San Diego Chargers Forum

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joelbolt

02-18-2009, 03:40 PM

Chargers designate Sproles Franchise Player
San Diego Chargers running back and kick returner Darren Sproles has been designated the teams Franchise Player for the 2009 season. More... (http://www.chargers.com/news/press-releases/press-release-20090218.php)

TxCharger

02-18-2009, 03:42 PM

Non-exclusive contract.

Lt's deal is still under works.

Hope LT will stay.

LTMvP61nizine

02-19-2009, 01:52 AM

Doug2112

02-19-2009, 07:21 AM

Should this thread be merged with the following one ???

http://forums.chargers.com/showthread.php?t=66033

mhchargerfan

02-19-2009, 07:42 AM

They should of worked LT first... Then try to work a deal with Sproles... Now the question is, whether Sproles agree on a long term contract with the chargers or test the market next year??? They should of waited like what they did to Dielman... Now they stuck paying a 6.61 million a year if he dont agree on a long term contract...

You are exactly right! Period, Sproles is not worth that kind of money, 1 great year does not make him worth the same as LT. Now, if we let go of LT and keep Sproles, his running game will be alot like what happened in the Steelers game, anyone remember that????? 11 rushes for 15yds, wow, that is a 6.6million dollar running back! Stupid, just shows how stupid AJ is, period! We better keep LT, or I will be sick to my stomach until AJ is fired!

charger1_sj

02-19-2009, 09:01 AM

You are exactly right! Period, Sproles is not worth that kind of money, 1 great year does not make him worth the same as LT. Now, if we let go of LT and keep Sproles, his running game will be alot like what happened in the Steelers game, anyone remember that????? 11 rushes for 15yds, wow, that is a 6.6million dollar running back! Stupid, just shows how stupid AJ is, period! We better keep LT, or I will be sick to my stomach until AJ is fired!

You have no idea what your talking about. We had no choice but to franchise tag Sproles. This does two things.

1. It keeps Sproles from hitting the FA market where we would have lost
him for next to nothing or nothing at all in return.
2. It buys time for us to work out a long term deal with Sproles. If we
can't then we'll trade him. The chances of Sproles getting paid the
$6.6M are very slim.

Secondly this has nothing to do with LT. LT, if he stays will be the featured back. The LT situation doesn't change one bit. The Chargers are dealing with a future HOF that is aging and has not helped us in the post season two years running. With long term deals on the horizon for Merriman, Rivers and McNeill there's no way to keep a cap friendly slate and play LT $8.8M this year and upwards of $10M in his last two.

Thirdly Sproles had 266 yards against the Steelers. He's the lone reason we even had a chance against them. If Rivers doesn't throw that interception and we had a defense to speak of Sproles wins that game for us. Sproles in two playoff games had 566 total yards. Pay the man the money he's earned.

mhchargerfan

02-19-2009, 10:14 AM

charger1_sj

02-19-2009, 10:34 AM

More of an idea than you know!

Sproles is not worth the money, period, 1 year does not make him worth that kind of money, and yes, he probably will get that money, which, if he does, makes LT redo his contract or he is gone. Some of you think sproles is God or something, he is good, but only as a second option, not a full time RB.

No you still don't get it. Sproles will sign a long term deal with the Chargers, and not for $6M/yr. LT's situation has nothing to do with Sproles. Sproles is valuable to the Chargers as a KO, PR specialist and special downs RB. LT has been carrying the load and will probably do that again this year. But there are question marks about his durability as he turns 30. Signing Sproles has little to do with LT. If LT cannot come back strong we'll still need a RB.

You don't get the big picture. Doing nothing meant we would have lost Sproles in the FA market with nothing to show for it. Right now we are in the drivers seat. The worst case is we pay the $6.6M and get his services for 1 more year. The up side is much greater and the risk is well worth taking.

Come back after Sproles signs his deal or gets traded. Then we'll talk.
If we pay him his $6.6M I'll eat my crow.

JoeMcRugby

02-19-2009, 11:19 AM

Come back after Sproles signs his deal or gets traded. Then we'll talk.
If we pay him his $6.6M I'll eat my crow.

As will I.

There's next to zero chance that Sproles plays under the franchise contract.

As for those saying "we should have done LT's first":

(1) There is no deadline for LT's to be redone.

(2) The franchise tag had to be used on Sproles by today or he almost certainly would have been gone to a team willing to vastly overpay him; and

(3) Condon had to be willing to do LT's restructed contract first. Condon would have been an idiot to have spoken one word to the Chargers front office before February 20th, the day after the deadline for the Chargers to use the franchise tag on Sproles - and Condon isn't an idiot.

Air Norv

02-19-2009, 11:27 AM

Sproles will get a 6 year contract after LT renegotiates his contract. 3 million dollars a year, working up to maybe 4 million towards the end.

10 million guaranteed is my guess.

Laff7

02-21-2009, 11:04 AM

31cromartie31

02-21-2009, 11:10 AM

Why the heck would you franchise a 3rd down back? The kid is really good, don't get me wrong but he's not replacing LT, he can't! I don't understand this move, sign him long term but don't franchise him you can get another kid in the draft that can do what Sproles can do.

A lot more then a 3rd down back.
He is the only KR/PR which is different to most teams who chop and change throughout the season, and constantly puts up good numbers doing so.
Also he is now more of a backup or compliment to LT and can be used in many ways, on screens etc, after a great end to the season we will be seeing a lot more of mighty mouse.
Don't expect him to play under this contract they will more then certainly restructure, this move is just to lock him down before he hits the free agent market.
As for finding someone with Sproles' talent in the draft, i highly doubt you could, especially with all the needs we have on defense.

bolts 4 life

02-22-2009, 04:01 AM

i think the move was an overall good one, no sproles cannot replace LT no matter what, but i dont remember anybody saying he can. i also agree that sproles situation has nothing to do with LT. LT is getting older, he still has enough in the tank for about at most another 4 seasons.. bottom line, we are going to need to look for a RB in the draft. sproles stepped up, but i just dont like him as a second string RB, he is much more needed as a KR/PR. as you guys probably seen, returning the ball and then just having two plays to rest and get back out there is really tiring, LT will be stronger and more durable, if norv dosent burn him out this year, but we need sproles to return and we need a SOLID 2nd string RB... thats my take on it

starry

02-22-2009, 05:19 AM

I don't know why people still underestimate Sproles and say he is just a backup or a returner. He has been effective in the playoffs for us two years in a row.

ReggieF

02-22-2009, 03:59 PM

I don't know why people still underestimate Sproles and say he is just a backup or a returner. He has been effective in the playoffs for us two years in a row.
Very well said. I think Sproles' potential is just being reached and he may never "replace" LT literally, but he is his own great player already. He's not perfect, he still has a lot of skills that he can develop, but he's only ever started once as the running back, so let's see what he can do in the coming season before everyone writes him off as a failed "LT replacement".

I think most people underestimate him because of his size, they can't see past it to see how great he is. Barry Sanders was 5-8, Emmitt Smith was 5-9 and hell LT himself is only 5-10, running backs really don't need to be tall to be great. I see a lot of Barry Sanders in the way he plays, so let's just let the man play and see what he's capable of. I for one have a lot of faith in him, the passion he plays with day in and day out means a lot to me.

Laff7

02-23-2009, 09:03 AM

A lot more then a 3rd down back.
He is the only KR/PR which is different to most teams who chop and change throughout the season, and constantly puts up good numbers doing so.
Also he is now more of a backup or compliment to LT and can be used in many ways, on screens etc, after a great end to the season we will be seeing a lot more of mighty mouse.
Don't expect him to play under this contract they will more then certainly restructure, this move is just to lock him down before he hits the free agent market.
As for finding someone with Sproles' talent in the draft, i highly doubt you could, especially with all the needs we have on defense.

Yeah your right he's more than a 3rd down back but certainly shouldn't get paid like a top 5 RB in the game. As for you not thinking that he'll play under that contract why would you renegotiate for less. He'll play this year than become an unrestricted free agent next year than we'll have to pay him or franchise him again at a ridiculous amount. It makes no sense to franchise him, don't get me wrong I love the way we can use him but we shouldn't waste #1 RB money on a special team/3rd down back.

Hope your right and we restructure his deal but I think that's highly unlikely. He's got very little risk to get hurt as a backup.

starry

02-23-2009, 09:42 AM

Yeah your right he's more than a 3rd down back but certainly shouldn't get paid like a top 5 RB in the game. As for you not thinking that he'll play under that contract why would you renegotiate for less. He'll play this year than become an unrestricted free agent next year than we'll have to pay him or franchise him again at a ridiculous amount. It makes no sense to franchise him, don't get me wrong I love the way we can use him but we shouldn't waste #1 RB money on a special team/3rd down back.

Hope your right and we restructure his deal but I think that's highly unlikely. He's got very little risk to get hurt as a backup.

He isn't a backup as he comes on when Rivers the rest of the first string are playing.