LosT aLoT

Posted on 17. Sep, 2009 by Jesse in Articles

Let me first acknowledge the best running back of the new millennium has undoubtedly been LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers. His do-everything mentality has resulted in an assault on the record books that wowed NFL fans and kept defensive coordinators up late at night. In short, Tomlinson has had an amazing run. But make no mistake about it, that run is over.

After the club tabbed Darren Sproles as their franchise player, many thought LT would get the axe this offseason. Rumors about an eventual move to New Orleans proved to be relatively unfounded, and ultimately Tomlinson and the club agreed to rework his deal to keep #21 in the powder blue. At the time I thought the Chargers overpaid badly. Tomlinson is getting $7.7 million guaranteed this season, and may still end up cut at the end of the year if he doesn’t produce. Personally I see no way LT stays in SD beyond 2009, as his deal would cost the team an additional $5 million next year. It’s just too much coin to pay to a guy who’s certainly lost a step.

Let’s be frank. As great as LT has been when healthy, he can’t play through pain at all. Who could forget the 2007 AFC Championship game where he sat with a minor injury while Philip Rivers played on a torn ACL? Then last season, Tomlinson got dinged down the stretch and was basically replaced by the aforementioned Sproles for the team’s playoff run. Face it Chargers fans, LT is soft. Now, even when Tomlinson is healthy, his explosion is gone and his signature jump cut just allows quicker defenders to get to him easier. LT’s not doing anything to change my mind either, as a minor ankle injury sidelined him throughout the team’s opening game, and has him highly questionable for week two. Sproles will see a lot more action going forward.

I don’t have Tomlinson in a single one of my four fantasy football leagues, because I never believed the offseason hype about him returning to his prime. LT has simply had too many touches and collisions in the NFL to ever be close to what he was before. At age 30, the guy looks undeniably slower than he was at 28. Remember like a week ago when Tomlinson tried to tell reporters that he, not Adrian Peterson, is the best back in the league?

Adrian’s backers don’t even have to dignify that statement with a response. Just watch them both play and it’s obvious the torch has been passed. RB is a young man’s position, and LT is no longer a young man. Bold prediction: LT won’t even be wearing an NFL jersey by 2011. But I’m guessing he’ll still sit at home and watch his Visio with his helmet on, just for fun. Either way, Tomlinson will be doing a lot more sitting in the future than we’ve grown accustomed to him doing.

You’ll always have the memories San Diego. Just like Lions fans do with Barry Sanders.