Mathews busted after fight

[Beerman]

I would have traded VJ right after the playoff incident. Dude is a head case.

That's another bone of contention....we got zero from him. Just like we got zero for Brees. Should of dealt him if he was hell bent on not resigning him.

[sandiego17]

That's another bone of contention....we got zero from him. Just like we got zero for Brees. Should of dealt him if he was hell bent on not resigning him.

Hopefully the new guys don't use this strategy on Butler.

[Steve]

That strategy was hard to fathom. I understand that you have decided people are not quite what you are looking for, and you are willing to let them leave. I understand setting a price on guys. But AJ was pretty inflexible and it really ended up hurting. I don't agree that we got nothing, since we kept MT, VJ for a year after we tried to deal them. We would have needed a short term replacement of the roster spot, so we did get some value, just not enough (Brees we got nothing for him).

The real key though, is we have to get back to drafting and developing our own players. We just don't do that very well anymore, and back under Marty we were great at it. If you are doing a great job of developing, then you probably can afford to lose a few guys without compensation. Of course, if you are developing just about everyone you draft, then the extra compensation pays off handsomely. But the final thing that cooked AJ and Norv was not developing players and that is what MM and TT have to get back to.

As far as Butler goes, it's not like the guy is going to walk out the door tomorrow. I understand people are nervous about his contract and want to sign him on the cheap, but I really don't think that is necessary. I think it is better off letting him play into the season, see how he reacts to the new staff, and go from there. He is playing really well, but he is not an elite player yet. If Butler becomes an elite player, i really don't care if we get him on the cheap or not. I personally don't think he is going to sign a deal right now anyway.

Unless Butler is stupid, he knows he can get top LB money if he plays well. It is not in his best interest to sign now and leave that money on the table. So why would he sign a deal that is not going to put him among the best paid ILB in the NFL? Everyone knows he is not worth it yet, including him. But if he signs a deal now for what he is worth, he runs the risk of preventing himself from getting close to his market value at the end of the season, and that is not a good thing.

The chargers can't afford to throw top LB money at him until he steps up. So, how is everyone going to be happy with the deal? Let him play out and his value is clear. If he still doesn't step up, but takes some more baby steps forward, then we sign him to a short contract and let him keep playing; Or we could sign him to a Weddle type of deal which assumes he will step up. We still have from about midseason on and the postseason to sign him before he becomes a FA. If we have a legit desire to keep him and he has a legit desire to stay, then there is every reason to think we can resign him. It won't be cheap, but signing players to long term contracts on the cheap is what caused a lot of our childhood favorites leave the Chargers (JJ (originial), Fred Dean, Big Hands...). Players don't like to be under paid and the start of a new contract is a bad time to spend the next 4-6 years stuck under a bad one. Better to sign him to a big money contract when he has earned the big money deal.

[Beerman]

Indy had a pretty good track record of retaining it's star players didn't they?

[Beerman]

It even goes back to Sproles who we FRANCHISED for TWO years. Looking back at that it's insane they didn't just extend him based on the amount of dollars he received. Another player we let walk only to post the best combined yardage total all time the following year.

I agree we need to develop players, but there needs to be a system for which players they decide to keep long term and lock those guys up. It's the only way to maintain long term success. You should be able to sign the occasional FA, but I find it inexcusable to lose star caliber players that you have developed.

I really hope that changes with the new regime. Ideally we see that change with Butler being signed to an extension sometime this year (they did mention that it was a priority a while ago so at least it's been discussed), followed by another extension to Liuget next offseason.

[QSmokey]

Not picking on anything, but its a huge leap to go from driving with a suspended license/tags (dumb) to showing up at a game hammered (unforgivable.) Even Jackhole haters have to admit that.

But getting hammered and driving - twice - IS forgivable just because he didn't show up at a game in that condition? Like I said, it's laughable.

[QSmokey]

It just goes to show how your hatred for him is unfounded vs. the "normal" person. orkchops:

Ha. You're a doctor. Please define 'normal' for me. And my football hatred for Jackhole is not "unfounded", in my opinion. There's a ton of lamenting his loss around here - and more excuse-making - for his dumb and illegal behavior. Just because the guy is a football talent. Laughable.

By the way, what's with the pork chop picture? LOL!

[QSmokey]

Jackson > Meachem + Royal

Undeniably. So what?

[QSmokey]

Not a big fan of developing players into Pro Bowl level talents and then letting them go for basically nothing, especially young talent in its prime.. The guy was not a problem on the field or in the locker room, despite the hate the guy gets on here.

I don't like it either. Who does? He's not the only example (as someone mentioned, Brees, you can throw MT in there too, Jackhole, there are probably others). And Jackhole gets a ton more love than hate around here. Guys like you, Beer, and Blaze are still crying in your beers of his loss it would appear.

[Beerman]

Crying is a bit much, maybe just a tear rolling down my cheek.

[QSmokey]

Crying is a bit much, maybe just a tear rolling down my cheek.

And the pork chop icon?

[Beerman]

And the pork chop icon?

Haha that was just some humor