Chargers Close the Gap with Rivers

This time last month, speculation was running wild that Philip Rivers would be traded to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the No. 2 overall pick. Now, it looks like Rivers will remain with the Chargers for the rest of his career.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports the Chargers are now optimistic about their chances of signing Rivers to a long-term extension, according to sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking. The timing makes sense, as GM Tom Telesco said shortly after the draft he would use the coming months to address the contracts of players with expiring deals.

Other notable Chargers entering contract years are Eric Weddle, Antonio Gates and Corey Liuget.

The most interesting negotiation is that involving Rivers, who earlier this offseason expressed his desire to play out the final year of his contract without signing an extension. Rivers is concerned about the Chargers potentially relocating to Los Angeles. He also wants to see the team’s management demonstrate it is committing to building a championship-caliber roster.

Rivers has been lights-out ever since Mike McCoy arrived on the scene two seasons back. During that time, Rivers has averaged more than 4,300 passing yards per season; thrown more than twice as many touchdowns as interceptions (63 to 29); and completed 68 percent of his passes.

“Philip’s our quarterback,” Telesco said. “It’s our plan and intent that he’s our quarterback well into the future. In all my discussions with him, he’s shown a great amount of respect for his teammates and a great amount of respect for this organization.”

Sam Signs in the CFL

Michael Sam has signed a two-year contract with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, the team announced on Friday. Sam, a seventh-round pick of the Rams in 2014, has drawn a national following after becoming the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL.

Sam hopes that success in the CFL will land him another opportunity in the NFL. It has worked for other pass rushers, including Cameron Wake, the former CFL standout who made the leap to the NFL six seasons ago and has averaged over 10 sacks per year for the Dolphins ever since.

More recently, edge rusher Cordarro Law left the Calgary Stampeders for the Chargers prior to last season. Law played a big role in San Diego’s Week 4 win over the Jaguars, recording three tackles, a sack and a pass breakup.

Whether Sam can be as successful in using the CFL as a career launching pad remains to be seen. He seems like a good fit, though, because of his ability to stand up on the edge and rush the passer. Sam recoded 11.5 sacks during his senior year at Missouri and added three more sacks for the Rams last preseason.

“With the signing of Michael Sam, we have become a better organization today,” said Alouettes’ general manager Jim Popp. “Not only have we added an outstanding football player, we have added even a better person that brings dignity, character, and heart to our team.”

Goodell Refuses to Recuse Himself 

Attorneys for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell have recommended he not recuse himself from hearing Tom Brady’s appeal of his four-game suspension.

Goodell had always planned to oversee the hearing. However, the NFL Players Association has formally requested he remove himself from the proceedings, going so far as to call him as a witness and question his impartiality.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft has already announced the team will not appeal its portion of the Deflate Gate punishment, which includes the loss of two draft picks and a $1 million fine.

Brady, however, is not willing to go silently into the good night.

Goodell said at the spring meeting he looks forward to hearing “directly from Tom if there is new information or there is information that can be helpful to us in getting this right.”

Brady’s punishment is not only for his “likely” knowledge of footballs being deflated below regulation. It is also for his lack of cooperation during the investigation, including refusing to turn over text messages shared with equipment manager Jim McNally.

The biggest objection to Goodell overseeing the hearing is the same objection that has been levied against the commissioner throughout his tenure: he insists on acting as judge, jury an executioner.

“The players also believe that the Commissioner’s history of inconsistently issuing discipline against our players makes him ill-suited to hear this appeal in a fair-minded manner,” the NFLPA said in a statement. “If the NFL believes the Ted Wells report has credibility because it is independent, then the NFL should embrace our request for an independent review.”

Scandrick Signs Extension

The semi-stalemate between the Cowboys and CB Orlando Scandrick is over.

Scandrick had skipped the team’s first round of voluntary workouts because he was dissatisfied with his contract. His previous deal ran through the 2018 season and included salaries of $1.5 million in 2015 and $3 million apiece in 2016, 2017 and 2018. His new deal runs through the 2019 season and is worth a total of $20 million. His base salary for this season jumps from $1.5 million to $4 million.

Scandrick recently reported to the team’s second round of voluntary workouts, signaling a new deal was near.

It is unusual for the Cowboys to re-work a deal with four years left on it, but the team made an exception for a player who was the No. 10 ranked cornerback in the league last season according to Pro Football Focus.

“I would like to think I’m going to be (a Cowboy) for life,” Scandrick said. “It’s going on eight years. It’s now on me to take care of my end of the bargain and continue to be a productive player.”

Scandrick entered the league as a fifth-round pick in 2008 and spent his first five seasons as Dallas’ nickel back. He has stated 29 of his last 30 games and has picked off two passes in each of the last two seasons.

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