Chargers to work out Marcus Mariota

With the 17th pick in the draft and an established veteran quarterback in Philip Rivers, the San Diego Chargers don’t appear to be in any position to take Oregon QB Marcus Mariota. But that doesn’t mean they’re not willing to kick the tires. In fact, they’re going to take him out for a spin.

As reported by U-T San Diego, the team’s front office, head coach Mike McCoy and quarterbacks coach Nick Sirriani are headed to Eugene, Ore. to work out the Heisman Trophy winner on Tuesday.

It’s potentially an extremely pivotal moment in the future of both Mariota and the Chargers.

If San Diego is blown away by the workout, it is likely the wheels will be set in motion for a trade that would send Philip Rivers to Tennessee in exchange for the No. 2 pick. Rivers has one season left on his contract, and has expressed the opinion that he has no desire to be a Los Angeles Charger if the team cannot get a stadium deal done in San Diego.

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt was his offensive coordinator in 2013, and let’s face it – Nashville is possibly the only market in the league where no one will make fun of Rivers’ bolo ties.

If Mariota doesn’t blow the Chargers away, look for the Titans to either hang on to the second pick or find another trade partner that is able to meet their needs.

Former Rams RB Phillips suspected of killing cellmate

It seems one of the most troubled players in NFL history can’t even stay out of trouble while behind bars.

Lawrence Phillips, a potential superstar whose talent was only trumped by a Hall of Fame-level lack of character, is suspected of killing his cellmate in California’s Kern Valley State Prison.

Phillips was a star on the last truly great Nebraska teams of the mid-1990s, but trouble was never far away. Though he was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, coach Tom Osborne kept his star on the team for his junior year.

The Rams took him with the sixth overall pick in the following draft, trading Jerome Bettis to Pittsburgh to make way for their new running back.

It was, needless to say, one of the great errors in football history. Phillips was dismissed after two years for being insubordinate to coach Dick Vermeil – pretty much the most sensitive player’s coach in NFL history.

He was run out of Miami and San Francisco for assaulting a woman and conduct detrimental to the team, respectively. He was released by the Montreal Alouettes after being charged with sexual assault. His last chance came with the Calgary Stampeders, who also ran him off after fights with the coaching staff.

Phillips’ current jail sentence is a combination of two different convictions – one for attempting to run over a group of teenagers after a pickup football game, and another for assaulting his former girlfriend.

Michael Crabtree signs with Raiders

Michael Crabtree won’t be leaving the Bay Area – at least not this year.

The former 49ers receiver has signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the team that will offer another $2 million in incentives.

The 10th pick in the 2009 Draft and butt of Richard Sherman’s insults has seen his career tail off with the last two seasons plagued by injuries. Crabtree has only two games with over 100 yards receiving since injuring his Achilles in 2013.

Crabtree’s best years were 2010 and 2012. He averaged a career-best 13.5 yards per catch with six touchdowns in 2010, and bests of 85 catches for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns in Colin Kaepernick’s first year as San Francisco’s quarterback in ’12.

Last season was his first time under 45 yards per game and 12 yards per catch. His defection is yet another that will help make the 49ers the most unrecognizable team in the league next season outside of Kapernick.