What Sayith Merriman??

Well....actually we all know what Shawne Merriman said. It went something like this: "I am thrilled that we drafted Larry English! The more the Merrier, man!"

The better question is: what is Merriman thinking these days? After all, the Chargers just used their first-round draft choice on his (presumed) replacement.

How would you feel if the boss introduced you to the guy who was going to come in and take your job? "Hey Bob...we know you're the best VP of Sales we've ever had...but this is Tony...and very soon we expect him to be the best VP of Sales we've ever had...have a nice day!"

Chances are you'd be pissed. Chances are you'd have every right to be.

I've got to believe that somewhere in the back (or more likely the front) of his mind, Merriman isn't exactly thrilled about the Bolts' draft-day developments. When you're the most disruptive defensive player in the entire NFL, and you've worked your tail off to come back from a
season-ending injury, you don't expect the team you play for to start planning for your demise.

But that's exactly what the Chargers have done. Though they've said repeatedly that the drafting of English is all about making what should be a scary pass rush even more dangerous...it's pretty obvious to me (and should be to you as well) that the writing is on the wall.

And the wall reads: Shawne Merriman is no longer part of the Chargers future after this season.

Maybe that's OK. After all, it's no guarantee that Merriman will return from his knee surgery as the dominant player he once was...and having English behind him will provide a nice insurance policy. Furthermore, we know that Merriman will be a free agent after the '09 season and chances are he will command millions of dollars (and them some) to re-sign in San Diego. With English in the fold, the Chargers won't be forced into over-paying to keep him.

However, in my mind, this is faulty logic. And here's why: stated or unstated, Merriman is basically now in the position to have to play for himself this season. Knowing that his days in San Diego are all but over, it will be imperative for him to put up big sack numbers (regardless of how many games the Bolts win, or how many tackles he makes, Merriman's free-agent bounty will directly be linked to his sack total and nothing else).

Is this the kind of player you want leading your defense?? Perhaps, the Chargers feel that a
20-sack season from Merriman will help them get where they want to go. But in my mind, it's a guy who's focused on the success of the entire defensive unit -- and not his stats alone -- that would be far more valuable.

Either way, let's give credit to Merriman for his initial public comments. He said the PC thing by welcoming English into the fold. Imagine if Merriman had the frail self-confidence of former Denver QB Jay Cutler. The draft selection of an additional pass-rushing linebacker would have created a Broncos-sized circus.

The way it is now, Merriman will have to share the center ring with an up-and-coming talent nipping at his heels. And he'll have to deal with a ring-leader (A.J. Smith) who seems anxious to drive home the message that his star (and future Hall of Fame?) linebacker will not be welcome in these here parts much longer.

And while it's true that there aren't many guys out there as tough as Shawne Merriman, I think he'll have a tough time handling it.

I No Comprende' English...Ello, Apr. 28th

Every Sunday for the past several Autumns, I have gone to church.

No, not the church that frowns upon gays and lesbians...or pre-marital sex and adultery (when it's convenient)...and not the church where whatever sins you do feel like committing will be forgiven with a kneel and an excuse.

I've never gone to that church and never will.

I've gone to the church where failures simply are not tolerated and sins can never be forgiven. The church of the bottom line -- wins and losses.

The Church of A.J. Smith.

I haven't really gone to pray...or to ask forgiveness because I missed a game while out shopping with the wife...or even to complain. Mostly I've just attended with reverence for the General Manager of the San Diego Chargers -- the master of the draft, the all-knowing definer of football talent, the Messiah of trades and free agent pickups.

Gotta say, though, after what transpired this past weekend, I'm starting to lose faith.

Do you understand why the Chargers would use their first-round draft choice to select a player who plays a position that the team is already loaded at? Because I sure don't.

Before the draft ever began I said that no team in the NFL would improve during this off-season as much as the Chargers would...regardless of who was drafted, traded or signed. That's because the Bolts will be adding the most disruptive defensive player on the planet to their roster for 2009.

Supposedly fully recovered from the knee injury that cost him just about all of last season, Shawne Merriman's presence immediately turns the Chargers into Super Bowl contenders. Lined up with bookend pass rusher Shawn Phillips on the other side of the line, San Diego will be able to bring more heat that a mid-April afternoon in Jamul (see last week's weather report for confirmation).

With the pass rush back in order, the last thing San Diego needed was another pass rusher. But in drafting outside linebacker Larry English out of Northern Illinois, that's exactly what the Chargers got.

Of course, the the world's wimpiest media -- located here in America's Finest City if you weren't sure -- could not contain itself after the first-round selection, practically doing cart-wheels and firing off bottle rockets to salute the Chargers (formerly brilliant) front office.

To me, the selection makes absolutely no sense. In fact, it looks a whole lot like what the (confused) Padres did with their first selection in last summer's Major League Baseball draft. Despite the fact that their best player (Adrian Gonzalez) is a first baseman, and their top prospect (Kyle Blanks) is a first baseman, the Padres drafted -- a first baseman.

What the hell??? I was banging my head into a wall after that pick, and now I've bloodied my forehead again after the Chargers unexplainable decision.

Not that they haven't tried to explain it. Said Director of Player Personnel Jimmy Raye (who?): "You can never have enough good football players, especially trying to put heat on the quarterback."

Oh yeah? Well I guess you could have 11 great players putting pressure on the quarterback if you wanted to...but it's not going to do you much good if there's nobody back there behind them to cover receivers. And frankly -- even with only three guys rushing -- we already know that the Chargers can't cover receivers.

Said Head Coach Norv Turner: "We felt a real urgency to create situations where we can put more pressure on the quarterback and obviously getting Shawne Merriman back will help us greatly there, but adding a rusher we thought would certainly help us."

Genius!! You mean the Chargers felt that getting Merriman back would greatly help them? But that adding (another) rusher would certainly help them?

Who was doing this draft? Matt Millen? "Yes...we felt that if we could stockpile top wide receivers in the draft for about a decade, our passing game would be unstoppable....Offensive linemen? Quarterbacks? Well, yes, but we do have a bunch of great receivers."

Look, perhaps Larry English will turn out to be a great player. I hope he does. But even if he does, this first-round pick still makes no sense.

Of course, some would say that English will make for a great insurance policy if Merriman is not healthy...or if Merriman is let go after his contract runs out next season.

Maybe so. But I say that Merriman will be back, and with him back, Phillips will regain his mojo on the other side. And if that happens, how exactly is English going to contribute this season?

Other teams may feel like they have the luxury to let a first-round pick rot on the bench for a season and learn. But when you're the Chargers, and your window to the Super Bowl is quickly closing, you need to add a player who can help you now.

And I don't think there's much argument that the Chargers have plenty of holes that need repair -- inside linebacker, defensive end, safety, offensive line just to name a few.

Pass-rushing outside linebacker, to me, did not seem to be that desperate of a need. Of course, the Chargers (who think they know everything) think differently.

I guess I just don't understand English.