Chargers use franchise tag on.....Darren Sproles? WTF?

[The Ram]

Adam Schefter is reporting this on his blog. Alright this makes no sense to me on the surface. The Bolts MUST have a super credible lead that a team is head over heels for Sproles or have a few free agents up their sleeves to replace LT's production as they are going to cut him soon.

Sproles will be getting $6m+ this year......or about 2 million for every foot he is tall.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

What a good move by SD. If a team wants Sproles, they're playing big time!

 

[Da Bomb]

that is utterly ridiculous.

 

[Coachnorm]

What a good move by SD. If a team wants Sproles, they're playing big time!

It does set the Trade level/picks for Sproles at a high level. The Chargers can always accept less.

 

[The Ram]

It does set the Trade level/picks for Sproles at a high level. The Chargers can always accept less.

I'm agreeing (for once) with Bomber. This is silly. No team in their right mind (Al Davis excluded) would give up a first rounder for Sproles. He is a gamechanger and without question has the goods to earn significant cash as a 3rd down back and a return man. I just don't see it making sense to give up that much for a change of pace guy even if he is a once in a decade talent change of pace guy.

So the Chargers get to hold onto him for $6.2m for one more year while they still have for now LT2 on roster. Makes no sense to me.

 

[Escrow]

Why does this not make sense to anyone? He is an explosive game changing back? Look at all the teams with 2 rb (or 3) runningback tandems? Baltimore, Arizona, Oakland, Saints...the list goes on...This is a great move by SD, the only person it hurts is Sproles who might of been able to get a nice long term deal elsewhere(Cincy? Seattle? New England?)

 

[Phicinfan]

Turner part duex. Didn't they tag Turner for a year as well, before he went UFA? My guess is...they want to see if anyone will drop a huge trade on them. If not, they get Sproles for a year...and then they have to decide what is up with LT2.

I agree though, I don't think tagging him was a great idea.

 

[efactor]

Why does this not make sense to anyone? He is an explosive game changing back? Look at all the teams with 2 rb (or 3) runningback tandems? Baltimore, Arizona, Oakland, Saints...the list goes on...This is a great move by SD, the only person it hurts is Sproles who might of been able to get a nice long term deal elsewhere(Cincy? Seattle? New England?)

I'm in agreement here. Sproles is an amazing talent and while a little fella, has the moves that allow him to avoid the big hits. RBBC is the norm in the NFL and Sproles has the capability to be a star for the next 5 years. Imagine him replacing Kevin Faulk in New England as the pass catching back AND getting 10-12 carries a game. I think a team that is a player or two away from serious contention would be willing to part with a mid 1st rounder for Sproles. SD was smart locking him up, especially with LT being somewhat of a question mark..........

 

[Miller]

Sorry, with...gasp...Bomber and Ram......

6 mil for a change of pace/returner?? Come on, Sproles is dangerous and he would have been highly sought after, but sorry, you give him 15-20 carries a week and he will be very forgettable. He's great in a pinch like against the Colts, but week in and week out....nope. To trade for him at this point, based on the money you will need to pay him to make him give up the 6 mil on the tag would be too great plus whatever the Chargers would want in a trade.

LT/Sproles for next year will be the card, and it will be good, but damn that's a lot of jack for the RB position.

 

[efactor]

Sorry, with...gasp...Bomber and Ram......

6 mil for a change of pace/returner?? Come on, Sproles is dangerous and he would have been highly sought after, but sorry, you give him 15-20 carries a week and he will be very forgettable. He's great in a pinch like against the Colts, but week in and week out....nope. To trade for him at this point, based on the money you will need to pay him to make him give up the 6 mil on the tag would be too great plus whatever the Chargers would want in a trade.

LT/Sproles for next year will be the card, and it will be good, but damn that's a lot of jack for the RB position.

The fact is, nobody knows how he will perform as a 15-20 touch back because we haven't seen him in that role yet. To say he can't perform week in and week out is speculation on your part. And while I certainly respect your football knowledge on this level, my feeling is that A.J Smith and the Charger coaching staff might have a more informed opinion on what Sproles is capable of on a weekly basis, so the fact that they are willing to pay him like the top backs says a lot about his potential to perform week in and week out. I realize that his diminutive stature is a negative as a feature type back, but Warrick Dunn was about the same size and while Dunn was quick, I don't think he had the same explosiveness as Sproles has.

Sproles didn't really get to show off his skills until late in the season. 9 TDs in 130 touches was pretty impressive. :xpopcorn:

 

[Mustang Jones]

seems like a legit move

 

[Miller]

To say he can't perform week in and week out is speculation on your part.

Isn't it all speculation

That is what we do around here, speculate and second guess the big shots.....

And I'm not so sure I'd give AJ Smith that much credit, guy is pretty much an idiot IMO.

 

[efactor]

Isn't it all speculation

That is what we do around here, speculate and second guess the big shots.....

And I'm not so sure I'd give AJ Smith that much credit, guy is pretty much an idiot IMO.

Of course, but you just made it sound so certain that Sproles had zero chance of being anything other than "forgettable" in a 15-20 touch scenario. Just had to comment.

Also, while Smith may not be a marque GM, to call him an idiot is kind of a stretch. He helped put together a pretty talented team. But to your point, he focked up the Marty situation pretty bad.............

 

[Mustang Jones]

to me the whole situation is a reaction to "The Burner Incident". Now, I don't know who the Chargers franchised last year.

Keeping Big Daddy Sproles in the fold with a one year K seems like the way to go. Could be on his way to the HOF. could be one nasty taste of gravity away from...

The point is the Chargers can't afford to let another premier RB slip with Norv at the Helm. Biggy Sproles ain't about to sign for money less his propers.

Time will tell.

 

[DearbornDolfan]

Sproles was a feature back at K-State against big and fast Big 12 defenses and did it while putting up record numbers. And while he might never be a feature back, he's a sick second option if the Chargers draft somebody like Moreno to replace LT.

 

[Miller]

Of course, but you just made it sound so certain that Sproles had zero chance of being anything other than "forgettable" in a 15-20 touch scenario. Just had to comment.

Also, while Smith may not be a marque GM, to call him an idiot is kind of a stretch. He helped put together a pretty talented team. But to your point, he focked up the Marty situation pretty bad.............

Just stating my opinion, just like you are stating yours..... Never said he had a zero chance of anything, just stating what I feel, and stand behind it.

And I'll stand behind the idiot statement as well. He's a moron who routinely screws up major issues on his team. You mentioned the Marty situation, how about him mocking what is probably the best football player his franchise has ever had? And for all the "talent" he has managed to put together, he seems to have one of the most under performing teams that lacks some chemistry. If they would have showed him the door instead of Marty this team would be in a much better position right now IMO.

And yes, I think this is an over-reaction to the Turner non-move from a year ago.....

Also, someone stated that Turner was tagged as well, I don't think this was the case, if I remember right he was a RFA and they gave him the highest tender you could in order to keep him. Could be wrong, but think that was the situation.

 

[Da Bomb]

turner definitely was not tagged. and yes, i also think this is an overreaction to that.

 

[Da Bomb]

i also agree that aj smith is an absolute idiot. he has made countless numbers of inane moves over the last few years, from the top to the bottom of the organization.

unless he has a trade partner in mind, id say this one just adds to the list.

 

[efactor]

i also agree that aj smith is an absolute idiot. he has made countless numbers of inane moves over the last few years, from the top to the bottom of the organization.

unless he has a trade partner in mind, id say this one just adds to the list.

WOW! If Smith is an "absolute idiot" then what does that make the GMs of teams that never make the playoffs? Ultra idiots? If that is the case, then I suggest we all start putting our resumes together because there should be a lot of openings soon.............

Fact is, SD is among the most talented teams in the NFL and generally, the GM is primarily responsible for assembling that talent. Granted, he mishandled the Marty situation and got rid of a very good coach and replaced him with a not so good coach, but to say he is an "absolute idiot" is again, a stretch........

As far as Sproles goes, it's a wait and see. I look forward to seeing him in an expanded role on a weekly basis..............

 

[Escrow]

What is the difference in Sproles getting 6 mil for the FT and Hester making 10+ mil a year for the next 4 years?