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Smith looks to Edwards' future value
By Kevin Acee
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 18, 2006
As Donnie Edwards continued to vent his frustration at how he has been treated and how he might be traded, A.J. Smith went about the business of building a team.
While e-mailers to the newspaper and callers to radio talk shows are overwhelmingly outraged the Chargers might get rid of another player they love, Smith yesterday commenced two weeks of intensive give-and-take with scouts and coaches in preparation for the draft.
The general manager did take a couple of moments to refute a couple of notions regarding his shopping of Edwards.
“I'm not interested in Donnie Edwards' seven-year tackling statistics,” Smith said. “I'm only interested in the type of player he is (currently) and the player he may be in the future."
By offering Edwards for trade, Smith is seeing what he can get for a 33-year-old linebacker with one year left on his contract.
Both Edwards and Smith acknowledge the 10-year veteran could well be with the Chargers this season. It certainly remains to be seen if another team will compensate the Chargers adequately – i.e., with a second-round draft pick.
There has long been a slim chance Edwards was going to be a Charger after 2006. Among the league leaders in tackles every year since 1999, Edwards has made it clear he wants to be paid like one of the league's elite linebackers. By refusing to increase Edwards' salary or extend his contract – as Edwards has requested each of the past three years – Smith has made it clear he does not agree Edwards is worth that.
Edwards, who has started all 49 games since joining the Chargers in 2002, has averaged 149 tackles per year since 1999, second in the NFL only to Miami's Zach Thomas. However, among linebackers, Edwards ranks 61st in sacks and 36th in tackles for loss over the past seven seasons.
His 152 tackles in 2005 – a season in which he played the final 10 games with a torn meniscus (knee) that required offseason surgery – ranked fourth in the league. A study of his tackles last season showed that 67 (44 percent) were made after an opponent had gained three yards or less while 37 (24 percent) were made after an opponent had gained six or more yards.
These statistics might help explain why Smith sees Edwards as expendable.
Edwards first postulated in Sunday's Union-Tribune that he was a “pawn in the rift” between Smith and head coach Marty Schottenheimer. He also went on 1090-AM yesterday morning and repeated a similar view.
“There are a number of reasons why Donnie Edwards' name is out there,” Smith said. “And Coach Schottenheimer is not one of them.”
Edwards has also suggested a strained relationship between Smith and super-agent Tom Condon, who represents Edwards and recently departed quarterback Drew Brees, could factor into this potential trade.
Any problems Smith had with Condon were put aside for the 2004 signing of another of the agent's clients, LaDainian Tomlinson, to the richest contract for a running back in NFL history.
The reality is that while Smith is not friends with Schottenheimer or a big fan of Condon, the GM knows it is he who will ultimately be held accountable for the personnel moves he makes.
Regardless, fans have expressed dismay that Edwards could leave.
Due to his frequent tackles, the fact that he is a San Diego native and because he is active in the community, Edwards is one of the team's most popular players among fans.
But while he is widely referred to from the outside as a team leader, Edwards is rarely mentioned by teammates in the same vein as Tomlinson or Lorenzo Neal. And teammates privately lament his frequent gripes about being underappreciated.
Edwards said yesterday he is “frustrated and disappointed.” He feels Smith could have communicated better with him and Condon.
Edwards said he is finished talking about the possible trade and will concentrate now on the season ahead – whatever that brings.
“I said what I had to say,” he said. “If it happens, it happens. I'm going to worry about myself and let my agent take care of things. I know what kind of player I am. I'm going to continue to work out and get ready for the season and play like I have been.”
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/20060418-9999-1s18chargers.html
By Kevin Acee
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 18, 2006
As Donnie Edwards continued to vent his frustration at how he has been treated and how he might be traded, A.J. Smith went about the business of building a team.
While e-mailers to the newspaper and callers to radio talk shows are overwhelmingly outraged the Chargers might get rid of another player they love, Smith yesterday commenced two weeks of intensive give-and-take with scouts and coaches in preparation for the draft.
The general manager did take a couple of moments to refute a couple of notions regarding his shopping of Edwards.
“I'm not interested in Donnie Edwards' seven-year tackling statistics,” Smith said. “I'm only interested in the type of player he is (currently) and the player he may be in the future."
By offering Edwards for trade, Smith is seeing what he can get for a 33-year-old linebacker with one year left on his contract.
Both Edwards and Smith acknowledge the 10-year veteran could well be with the Chargers this season. It certainly remains to be seen if another team will compensate the Chargers adequately – i.e., with a second-round draft pick.
There has long been a slim chance Edwards was going to be a Charger after 2006. Among the league leaders in tackles every year since 1999, Edwards has made it clear he wants to be paid like one of the league's elite linebackers. By refusing to increase Edwards' salary or extend his contract – as Edwards has requested each of the past three years – Smith has made it clear he does not agree Edwards is worth that.
Edwards, who has started all 49 games since joining the Chargers in 2002, has averaged 149 tackles per year since 1999, second in the NFL only to Miami's Zach Thomas. However, among linebackers, Edwards ranks 61st in sacks and 36th in tackles for loss over the past seven seasons.
His 152 tackles in 2005 – a season in which he played the final 10 games with a torn meniscus (knee) that required offseason surgery – ranked fourth in the league. A study of his tackles last season showed that 67 (44 percent) were made after an opponent had gained three yards or less while 37 (24 percent) were made after an opponent had gained six or more yards.
These statistics might help explain why Smith sees Edwards as expendable.
Edwards first postulated in Sunday's Union-Tribune that he was a “pawn in the rift” between Smith and head coach Marty Schottenheimer. He also went on 1090-AM yesterday morning and repeated a similar view.
“There are a number of reasons why Donnie Edwards' name is out there,” Smith said. “And Coach Schottenheimer is not one of them.”
Edwards has also suggested a strained relationship between Smith and super-agent Tom Condon, who represents Edwards and recently departed quarterback Drew Brees, could factor into this potential trade.
Any problems Smith had with Condon were put aside for the 2004 signing of another of the agent's clients, LaDainian Tomlinson, to the richest contract for a running back in NFL history.
The reality is that while Smith is not friends with Schottenheimer or a big fan of Condon, the GM knows it is he who will ultimately be held accountable for the personnel moves he makes.
Regardless, fans have expressed dismay that Edwards could leave.
Due to his frequent tackles, the fact that he is a San Diego native and because he is active in the community, Edwards is one of the team's most popular players among fans.
But while he is widely referred to from the outside as a team leader, Edwards is rarely mentioned by teammates in the same vein as Tomlinson or Lorenzo Neal. And teammates privately lament his frequent gripes about being underappreciated.
Edwards said yesterday he is “frustrated and disappointed.” He feels Smith could have communicated better with him and Condon.
Edwards said he is finished talking about the possible trade and will concentrate now on the season ahead – whatever that brings.
“I said what I had to say,” he said. “If it happens, it happens. I'm going to worry about myself and let my agent take care of things. I know what kind of player I am. I'm going to continue to work out and get ready for the season and play like I have been.”
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/20060418-9999-1s18chargers.html