Rivers ponders future with Chargers

[Wheels]

I have no problem with Rivers saying this. He doesn't want to move his family to LA and I don't blame him.

I get the impression it's also that he wants to evaluate the state of the team. He's done the math, and these next 4-5 years are his last shot at a championship. If the team is not ascending, perhaps he's considering going the hired gun route.

[richpjr]

This has to be a contract ploy....I highly doubt he's looking to retire at 33...and if he hates LA, where does he go from here?

Jacksonville?
Carolina?
Tennessee?

None of those locations make any sense. Jacksonville and Tennessee have no team, and he would be a backup in Carolina to Cam Newton.

The only way this story adds up is if he's trying to kick start contract negotiations.

Why does he need to do anything to kick start contract negotiations? Big Ben's contract set the market rate for what Rivers can expect so I really don't think this has anything to do with it. It could be he has gotten so beat up that maybe he really is contemplating retirement after the season rather than possibly having to move his family to a place he has already publicly said will be a factor in what he does.

[X-man]

They call these months liars' months for a reason...fwiw, when Mike McCoy was asked about the new additions today (specifically Stevie Johnson and Jacoby Jones,) he matter of factly states that Phillip and the offense will benefit from having some good new weapons to use. So if Phillip Rivers has any chance of getting traded, it seems that it would be major news to his coach because McCoy is planning on getting the most out of his new receiving weapons with his current QB.

http://www.mighty1090.com/episode/dan-sileo-031815-mike-mccoy/

[Den60]

TT will have to have balls of steel and a flame resistant coat to trade Rivers! I wonder what it would take for the Titans (or some other team) to pry Rivers away from the team.

I doubt we would get much more of a swap of picks trading Rivers to go up to the second slot. Hell, the Titans may even want more compensation from us. Why wouldn't the Titans just stay put and draft Mariota? Rivers only has 2-3 years left at best and he is coming off a back injury.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Warning! Warning! Den60 return is imminent!

I love it when I'm right!

[richpjr]

I doubt we would get much more of a swap of picks trading Rivers to go up to the second slot. Hell, the Titans may even want more compensation from us. Why wouldn't the Titans just stay put and draft Mariota? Rivers only has 2-3 years left at best and he is coming off a back injury.

All kinds of things could enter into this equation. We don't know how serious Rivers back issues are. If they are not bad, he could play for much more than 2-3 years if he wants to. And what are the Titans short and long term plans? Do they think they are close or in rebuild mode for several more years? If they want to win now and their QB choices are Zach Mettenberger, Charlie Whitehurst or Mariota vs a top 10 QB who already knows your offense in Rivers, that could be an easy choice for them. And what if they just aren't sold on Mariota? Since nobody knows what is really going on this all just idle speculation of course.

[MakoShark]

PR, being the good Christian and family man that he is, isn't gonna move his children to LA. No way. And he wont' exactly so the hired gun route either. There may be a few teams he would consider renting himself to for a Championship run, but there are even more teams that he just would not consider at this point in his career. He'd just retire. He is not willing to be away from his wife and kids, and he is not willing to live in a place where he questions the quality and way of life. It was brought up during the season and I'll say it again. PR will retire before he allows himself and his body to be beat up to the point that it affects his family life. He plays 3 more years, tops.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

If he is gone after this contract for sure, do you A trade him now for value, B play out his contract and let him walk, or C plan to franchise him setting aside proper cap space?

[rikardo]

I doubt we would get much more of a swap of picks trading Rivers to go up to the second slot. Hell, the Titans may even want more compensation from us. Why wouldn't the Titans just stay put and draft Mariota? Rivers only has 2-3 years left at best and he is coming off a back injury.

I have not read all the post on this thread. But I prefer 2 or 3 years of Rivers at QB than 5 years (that what the first contract of a drafted player is for) of an unknown QB prospect.

[richpjr]

I have not read all the post on this thread. But I prefer 2 or 3 years of Rivers at QB than 5 years (that what the first contract of a drafted player is for) of an unknown QB prospect.

I think almost everyone here agrees with you, but what if he wants out?

[Coachmarkos]

It's called not putting the cart in front of the horse.

Phillip doesn't want to play in LA, and the team has said it's considering it.

He's on the last year of his contract, and it's his right to wait it out and become a free agent if he wants.

These things drive me crazy because people ask athletes things like this, and then if the answer is wrong they crucify them for it. If they don't commit, then they are "wishy washy".

Here's my think: He'll play this year for the San Diego Chargers. I don't think the team will draft Mariota because he'll go too early and we don't have the pieces to move up and get him (too many holes already).

Then we will see what happens.

[BoltBacker]

Things we know about Rivers:

1. He is emotional and reacts to the immediate situation
2. Right now guys like Acee keep pimping him and Weddle about how come their contracts have not been extended yet? Huh? Huh? Why?
3. The location of the team is up in the air
4. He came off a disappointing season and was injured pretty badly
5. His best friends on the team...Gates, Floyd...won't be with the team much beyond this year (and ultimate best friend Hardwick is already gone) and that has to hurt and also remind him of his own football mortality
6. He has been working out at the Chargers facility every day (how come Acee didn't mention that?)
7. He has personally greeted every free agent the team has signed (Acee didn't mention it, but Ghelken and others have)
8. He says he is excited again about football and what he said when the season ended was based on how he felt right then
9. He is extremely competitive and lives, eats, sleeps football. No way he is retiring unless he cannot move
10. McCoy, Spanos, Telesco all love the guy. Everyone on the team and coaching staff loves the guy. They will do whatever it takes to keep him on this team.


I just think this is all overblown. And I still say Acee hates this team and will do whatever he can to write negative pieces whenever he can. Just read his last three articles.

TG

This ^

It is amazing how one article and comment has stirred up the hornets nest. Rivers is not going anywhere, he has built a legacy in San Diego. Do people think he wants to throw that away to play his last few years for a bottom dweller in Tennessee? Four more good years as a Charger and he has a decent Hall of Fame shot. He has a good of a chance here to compete for a ring too. If anything maybe he is trying to put just a bit of urgency on management to bring in the talent needed to overtake teams like New England.

The other thing too look at is Peyton, how has going to Denver played out for him? He has competed for a championship but he no longer has a fan base that worships him like the colts did. He is just another QB that needs to show it for the fans. He did not have a choice in his situation, Rivers does. If Telesco dealt him he would lose all respect. Mariota can't hold Rivers jock and Rivers would be better than Mariota throwing from a wheel chair.