There’s just one more year left on the contract between the San Diego Chargers and Philip Rivers. It’s rare to see franchise quarterbacks still more or less in their primes changing teams, but a trade is something that’s being considered.
According to the team’s general manager, Tom Telesco, it’s all in Rivers’ hands.
He’s our guy. Like I’ve said before, we’d like to extend him. And when he’s ready to do that, we’ll get moving on it. We don’t want to trade him.
But not wanting to trade him doesn’t mean they’re not willing to trade him. Many are suggesting that the Chargers are taking a good hard look at the number two overall pick and thinking about using it to draft Marcus Mariota.
In the meantime, Ken Whisenhunt has come out and said that the Titans would love to draft Mariota, maybe in order to create some interest in their pick and improve its value in the trade market.
And Rivers? He’s not too happy about the suggestions regarding the Chargers moving to Los Angeles, even though it’s not that far away. Playing in Tennessee does reunite him with Whisenhunt, possibly the best offensive coordinator he’s ever had, and it’s also not too far away from where he grew up in Alabama. Rivers has seven children, and isn’t too happy about moving them around at this stage.
Maybe it’s all a negotiation trick or ploy. Maybe Rivers just wants more money and assurances. He’s 33 which means that his next deal is probably the last one he’ll sign long term. Rivers did suffer a small decline in 2014 compared to 2013 but he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and you rarely see teams giving up on a ‘sure thing’ at quarterback.
But stranger things have happened, so if and when the Chargers actually pull of a “shocking” trade for a high draft pick (probably Mariota), don’t think it came out of nowhere. It’s always important to read between the lines.