Chargers - an old team

[LABoltsFan]

Originally Posted by Jimr1428

Red - guys I think we should get rid of
Yellow - guys we maybe should get rid of

Jackie Battle – 29
Chris Carr – 29
Jeromey Clary – 29
Michael Sprulcok – 29
Red Hadnot – 30
Charlie Whitehurst – 30
Ronnie Brown – 31
Nick Hardwick – 31
Jarret Johnson – 31
Nick Novak – 31
Shaun Philips – 31
Philip Rivers – 31
Atari Bigby – 31
Malcom Floyd – 31
Aubrayo Franklin – 32
Reggie Wells - 32
Antonio Gates – 32
Mike Scifres – 32
Demorrio Williams – 32
Antonio Garay – 33
Quentin Jammer – 33
Randy McMichael – 33
Takeo Spikes – 36

the part that i like ab out this list....
is that the OLD GUYS are making tons of money... and that we potentially save a lot of cap space by moving towards a younger team.

[Jimr1428]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

He'd be the first guy I would cut. As bad at the OT's were this year, Hardwick was worse. Just watch the final game of the season vs. the Raiders to see Hardwick continually plopped in Rivers lap, and get zero push - EVER - in the running game.

Yea might not be a bad idea, he's got a decent sized cap hit too. I'm not confident in Molk but I wouldn't mind seeing what he can do. I don't know that we address C in this draft with all of our other needs, but maybe we can find a capable FA at least as a backup and give Molk a shot. Molk was banged up a couple of times in college and he didn't look that good in preseason iirc though.

I like his attitude though lol

Michigan center David Molk’s detractors cite concerns over his lack of ideal size, bulk and power. One characteristic they cannot criticize is his ornery attitude, which goes a long way in the trenches. Speaking to AnnArbor.com, Molk pulled no punches voicing confidence in his abilities: “The fact [draft analysts] could consider any center better than me is pretty stupid.” When asked how he compares to Wisconsin’s Peter Konz, a potential first-round pick, Molk said, "I have skills he doesn’t have. Obviously, my strength is far better, I’m faster, I would say I’m smarter. Obviously, he’s an intelligent person, I’ve talked to him, but I just think I have a technique that’s unmatched (by him)." Ohio State’s Mike Brewster was also thrown under the bus — “He is nowhere near me as a player,” Molk said. He also addressed being called a “finesse” player by saying, “I don’t think a finesse player has ever had defensive linemen quit during a game; quit and give up because you’re hurting them. I don’t think a finesse player has ever done what I do, which is just ground kids out of the hole.”

[b_rock]

This is a pointless assessment. The two teams participating in the SB are ranked 7 (Bal) and 5 (SF).

[starry]

The age is due to AJ's short term philosophy that this team was so close to a Superbowl they only needed some short term veterans to fill it out. Many here didn't see the failure of that philosophy even after missing the playoffs 2 seasons in a row.

[AFboltfan]

Originally Posted by b_rock

This is a pointless assessment. The two teams participating in the SB are ranked 7 (Bal) and 5 (SF).

/agreed... The only guy(s) I would cut simply based on age would be Jammer and Spikes.

[AFCWeakEST]

are we really spending this much time talking about age? peyton manning and charles woodson and ray lewis are really old, so they must really suck.

[LABoltsFan]

interesting....

if you were GM, would you "swallow the poison" and cut most old players for the sake of a youth movement? - Presumably at the expense of a 1-2 losses and another missed playoff...

----

In this case, i'd be inclined to swallow a few hits and lay a foundation for the future. If this means that you have to lose some money due to buyouts, it's acceptable as we are switching HC's, GM's, and starting fresh. The perspective of the long term might outweigh the sacrifices in the short (2013 season).

Do you:

Cut some older guys with high cap hit. Risk potentially missing the playoffs?

or

Keep some older guys with high cap costs and have a decent opportunity for a playoff berth?

* FWIW, i thought AJ had "the youngest team" a few years ago? What happened?

[Jimr1428]

Originally Posted by LABoltsFan

interesting....

if you were GM, would you "swallow the poison" and cut most old players for the sake of a youth movement? - Presumably at the expense of a 1-2 losses and another missed playoff...

Well a lot of our older guys are just not that good either, and aren't much more than backup caliber players especially at this point in their careers. The hardest loss to overcome would be Jammer. I don't agree that getting rid of these players will result in 1-2 more losses than if we kept them.

[joebarnin]

Originally Posted by b_rock

This is a pointless assessment. The two teams participating in the SB are ranked 7 (Bal) and 5 (SF).

I disagree. I think it is very pointed.

No one is saying that an old team can't win. The problem with the Chargers is that they are old and not very good. The Ravens are old, but they are winning. So the window may be closing on them winning the Super Bowl - but they are already a Super Bowl team. So it doesn't matter as much that they are old (although they need to watch out over the next few years).

By any measure, the Chargers have gotten progressively worse over the past 3 seasons (wins, point difference, talent level). Older players tend to get worse the next season - younger players generally improve. Hanging on to a few old players when you are a top-level team may make sense. Hanging on to old players when you are a declining mediocre-to-poor team is insanity.

[Shamrock]

Originally Posted by AFboltfan

/agreed... The only guy(s) I would cut simply based on age would be Jammer and Spikes.

Jammer is an Unrestricted Free Agent.