Rivers not retiring anytime soon

[blueman]

If we luck into a backup who can become a quality starter so be it. No failsafe for that though, not gonna sweat it. We got Rivers now, most starting QBs are waaaaaaay below his level so not expecting any backup anywhere to be all that or even potential to be all that. Just not reality.

[Budsman]

I could see us drafting trenches next year. OT/DT

If the price on Hankins falls far enough I would love to kick the tires in a rotational 2 down run stuffer like him. Could really allow us to unleash the pass rush.

[KYBoltsFan]

When doing the 'math' on Rivers, consider the two years that he sat behind Brees. He's 'younger' than he appears

[Fleet]

If the price on Hankins falls far enough I would love to kick the tires in a rotational 2 down run stuffer like him. Could really allow us to unleash the pass rush.

That would be nice.

[richpjr]

If the price on Hankins falls far enough I would love to kick the tires in a rotational 2 down run stuffer like him. Could really allow us to unleash the pass rush.

Eric Williams answered a mailbag question on him:

@eric.d.williams: Several fans have asked about Johnathan Hankins as a possibility for the Bolts in free agency.

At 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds, Hankins is more of a two-gap, nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme, which is one of the reasons the Indianapolis Colts moved on from the Ohio State product only one year after signing him to a three-year, $27 million deal.

Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is moving Indianapolis to a 4-3 defense that relies more on speed and movement up front, similar to what the Chargers employ. For that reason, I don't see Hankins as a scheme fit.

Hankins visited the Washington Redskins in free agency, but left without a deal. Washington selected Alabama defensive tackle Da'Ron Payne in the first round instead of paying Hankins.

Look, Hankins is a good player, but the fact that the Chargers did not sign a defensive linemen in free agency and waited to select Jones in the third round tells you something about what the organization believes about the production of the defensive line last season.

While Brandon Mebane is 33 years old and the Chargers need to find his eventual replacement, the coaching staff was fine with the Cal product's performance last season. And they like young players already on the roster in Darius Philon, Damion Square and Isaac Rochell.

The Chargers could revisit the depth chart at the defensive line in the future. I don't believe Hankins is a viable option right now.

[bonehead]

When doing the 'math' on Rivers, consider the two years that he sat behind Brees. He's 'younger' than he appears

Yeah but you have to factor in those 17 kids so that evens it up.

[foreigner]

God Bless Ichiro...

[Mister Hoarse]

Gesundheit

[Bolt-O]

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Chargers will begin organized team activities next week. For this first time this offseason, the offense can go against the defense, which should provide for some interesting matchups at practice.

Tuesday's practice will be open to reporters, so we get a chance to see matchups like second-year pro Mike Williams going against cornerback Casey Hayward and tight end Hunter Henry facing rookie Derwin James, along with how defensive coordinator Gus Bradley begins to put the pieces together with his talented secondary.

Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn believes the competition during offseason work should help his team get ready for training camp in two months.

"I thought the pieces were there last year to do something special, and it's no different this year," Lynn told the NFL Network. "And we've added some more guys. I thought we did a heck of a job in bringing in the right people that fit our locker room, in free agency and the draft.

"I'm excited about our football team, but we have to go to work. There's so much parity in this league that you don't know who's going to emerge from year to year. It's all about what team comes together the best during the offseason right now and in training camp, developing that chemistry -- trusting one another, leaning on each other and playing for each other. That's not easy, you have to work at that."

Let's take a look at three questions from this week's mailbag:

@eric_d_williams: Chargers general manager Tom Telesco is likely pumping the brakes on any retirement parties for Philip Rivers in the near future.

Rivers has already said he'd like to play for a few more years, and the Chargers have not drafted a quarterback since 2013. At 36, Rivers is one of 14 starting quarterbacks at 30 years or older.

Of course, Tom Brady leads the list at 40 years old. Drew Brees is 39. Brady has said he believes he can play until he's 45 years old. Like Brady, Rivers relies on playing with anticipation and movement within the pocket to get the job done, so loss of speed isn't an issue.

Unlike Brady, Rivers hasn't missed a start in more than a decade. And the Chargers have done a nice job of protecting him, allowing a league-low 18 sacks last season.

If Rivers continues to get good protection and the Chargers surround him with talented playmakers such as Keenan Allen, Melvin Gordon and Hunter Henry, the veteran quarterback can play at a winning level for at least a couple of more years.

Rivers wishes to coach high school football once his playing career is over, but wants to play as long as he physically can. According to quarterbacks coach Shane Steichen, Rivers is all football and has more than enough motivation to continue playing.

"He's obsessed with it," Steichen said. "That's all it is, is football. And I think in his mind it's like, 'Shoot, I've only got so much longer to play this game.' And who knows how much longer he's going to play?

"If he plays for five more years he's like, 'Shoot, gosh dang, I'm going to put all of my energy into it.' You can tell from his rookie year until now, he just doesn't get bored with anything. I mean we can talk about a curl route for three hours, and how we want to run it: 'I want to get back into it. This is the footwork on it.' That's how important it is to him."

[oneinchpunch]

I thought this was a news story.

Rivers can retire anytime he likes. This season or anytime he feels like retiring. I dont think money is an issue

[Formula 21]

4 years, $34 mill a year average, 45 mill a year max. Is that twice what Rivers gets now. Forget the next guy, Rivers isn't going anywhere for 5 years.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers has signed an extension with the Green Bay Packers, general manager Brian Gutekunst announced Wednesday. The record-breaking four-year, $134 million extension could be worth up to $180 million in total money, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Rodgers, who will be 40 years old when the deal expires after the 2023 season, praised the Packers on Instagram for an "amazing ride" late Wednesday afternoon.

[oneinchpunch]

Time will decide how long Rivers has to play

[Attack]

I'm not seeing Rivers playing beyond the 2020 season. He'll turn 39 toward the end of the 2020 season, He doesn't need the cash, and I just think he'll hang up the cleats by then, if not sooner.