Despite the rumors of a possible trade brewing, the San Diego Chargers are trying to extend the contract of Philip Rivers, and not turn this into an ugly saga.
So why is this even an issue? Why isn’t Rivers trying to extend his deal so he can retire with the San Diego Chargers and try, with a clear mind, to win a Super Bowl with them? It has a lot to do with the team moving to Los Angeles, something Rivers doesn’t want to be a part of. Not a big fan of moving anywhere, actually retiring is something that’s being considered.
The trade rumor suggesting the Chargers will trade Rivers to the Tennessee Titans for their second overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft wasn’t made up out of thin air. There’s an actuality and reality where this happens, but we’re still a bit far away from the Chargers blowing thing up and gambling on Marcus Mariota to pick up the slack.
The reality of things is that the Chargers can keep Rivers via the franchise tag if he doesn’t want to re-sign. Obviously, that’s not the path everyone wants to go down, but the Chargers right now, just like the Vikings are on the Peterson matter, aren’t budging. Regardless and separate from the potential move a couple of hours north, they want Rivers on the team.
Rivers, 33, is still playing at a high enough level to build a contender around. The Chargers, even when missing the playoffs, are a good team. Are they good enough to compete for the Super Bowl? If the Broncos have actually gotten worse (has a lot to do with Peyton Manning), this might be their chance to create and easier route for themselves in the playoffs.
As for Mariota, there’s quite the heated debate recently as to whether he’s actually the number one pick and not Jameis Winston. Rumors and reactions are contradictory as we get closer to the draft. Maybe he’s the franchise-quarterback type, but the Chargers prefer their older, more experienced and right now better version, hoping that it’s not too late to change his mind about staying.