SAN DIEGO (AP)—Long snapper David Binn signed a four-year contract on Monday that will keep him with the San Diego Chargers through 2011.
The 36-year-old Binn is entering his 15th season with San Diego. He was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl squad after the 2007 season.
“David has been a true professional and a master of his craft for many years,” general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement. “We are all pleased that he will continue on with the Chargers for years to come.”
Binn has played 223 regular-season games, most in team history, missing just one game in 14 years. Binn has played 151 consecutive regular season and postseason games going back to 1998. He’s also been in the most playoff games in team history with nine.
Chargers entered the draft with very little actual needs. AJ Smith however by all reports got the players he wanted. The Chargers ended up taking Corner Back, Antoine Cason in the first round with the 27th pick, Running Back, Jacob Hester in the third with the 69th pick.
AJ Smith traded up into the third round to grab Hester, giving up he second round pick in ’09, and a fifth round pick this year. AJ targeted the replacement for Michael Turner and went after him.
In the fifth round with the 166th pick the Charges got Running Back, Marcus Thomas, in the sixth round with the 192nd Corner Back, DeJuan Tribble was picked by the Bolts, and finally in the seventh round with the 234th pick, the Bolts took Offensive Lineman, Corey Clark.
The Chargers took two Corners, two Running backs and added some depth to the offensive line. Each player will spend this summer trying adjusting to the pace of the NFL and attempt to earn a roster spot on a team that will have at the most 6 or 7 spots available.
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Less than four months after having a ligament in his right knee replaced, Philip Rivers was dropping back and throwing passes.
Granted, it was glorified touch football and the San Diego Chargers quarterback didn’t have defenders in his face. But the quarterback had no intention of missing the opening practice of minicamp on Friday morning, the first time the Chargers were back on the field together since losing the AFC championship game to the New England Patriots.
“It gets sore and stiff, but it’s all there,” Rivers said about his anterior cruciate ligament, which was replaced on Jan. 23.
There was a shakeup — for the second straight offseason — on the second level of Chargers Park recently. What exactly happened is still not clear.
What is evident is that respected assistant general manager Buddy Nix is no longer with the club. The team said he retired in a press release which didn’t include a comment from Nix.
Nix said that retirement wasn’t exactly the term that best fits his decision to leave an organization which could be on the verge of reaching the Super Bowl.
“I’ve been working 47 years in this business and sometimes you stay at a place long enough that you need to make a change,” Nix said.
This week on BoltTalk, we recap the Chargers 2008 draft and give you our take on each pick. Plus we answer your emails, and discuss the following topics:
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Buddy Nix is out as assistant general manager of the San Diego Chargers, with the team saying he retired and his wife saying he resigned.
The Chargers sent out a news release late Tuesday afternoon saying Nix had resigned, and that the personnel department had been restructured by general manager A.J. Smith. The moves included hiring Randy Mueller, a former NFL GM, as senior executive.
Nix wasn’t available for comment Tuesday night.
“He more or less resigned,” his wife, Diann, said from the couple’s home in Tennessee. “He came home this morning.”
Neither Smith nor team president Dean Spanos immediately returned phone calls seeking comment.
The Chargers fell one win shy of going to the Super Bowl last season.
SAN DIEGO (TICKER) —The San Diego Chargers signed offensive lineman L.J. Shelton to a two-year deal on Tuesday.
The 6-8 tackle started all 16 games for the Miami Dolphins last season and has played in 130 games during his nine-year career at left tackle, right tackle and right guard.
“We had the opportunity to add an experienced, good player to the mix at offensive tackle,” general manager A.J. Smith said. “L.J. has played both left and right tackle during his career. We were thin at the position and we were determined to find a talented player. We believe we’ve addressed the need with L.J. Shelton.”
DRAFT REVIEW—The Chargers entered the draft in an enviable position: They were looking for depth, not starters, to add to a squad which reached last season’s AFC Championship Game.
So they attacked those depth issues with their first pick, choosing to go cornerback instead of offensive tackle in selecting Arizona’s Antoine Cason at No. 27 overall.
The Chargers just as easily could have reached for a tackle, but that pool of talent was drained quickly with six being selected before the team got its only pick of the day. So with that position picked over, the Chargers went defensive and got Cason.
General manager A.J. Smith, conducting his fifth draft for the Chargers, wasn’t shocked by the run on tackles and felt comfortable with Cason.
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Long snapper David Binn signed a four-year contract on Monday that will keep him with the San Diego Chargers through 2011.
It was somewhat of a surprise to see Philip Rivers dropping back, hitting receivers and looking pretty good in the recent minicamp.
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Less than four months after having a ligament in his right knee replaced, Philip Rivers was dropping back and throwing passes.
There was a shakeup — for the second straight offseason — on the second level of Chargers Park recently. What exactly happened is still not clear.
This week on BoltTalk, we recap the Chargers 2008 draft and give you our take on each pick. Plus we answer your emails, and discuss the following topics:
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Buddy Nix is out as assistant general manager of the San Diego Chargers, with the team saying he retired and his wife saying he resigned.
SAN DIEGO (TICKER) —The San Diego Chargers signed offensive lineman L.J. Shelton to a two-year deal on Tuesday.
DRAFT REVIEW—The Chargers entered the draft in an enviable position: They were looking for depth, not starters, to add to a squad which reached last season’s AFC Championship Game.