Acquiring Sanders is smart move for Chargers

Not being there, it’s hard to say exactly what fans are like in other NFL cities, but in San Diego it’s not difficult in the least. They’re fickle. It’s easier to speed read and fully comprehend James Joyce and William Faulkner in one sitting than what races through the minds of some of these people.Seriously. I’ve scratched my head so much I’m surprised I don’t look like Paul Shaffer.Chargers fans are upset when General Manager A.J. Smith doesn’t do anything and they get upset when he does do something. Does it not make sense that it doesn’t make sense?We have the perfect example before us now in what is, to me, the terribly interesting — and important — case of Bob Sanders, the former All-Pro strong safety with Indianapolis. He was cut by the Colts Feb. 18 and officially will become a Charger — if and when the owners and players reach labor peace in our time. NFL San Diego Charger Jerseys Whatever, he will be a part of this football team.The problem is that he’s been injury-prone. Since being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2007, Sanders, all of 30, has played in just nine games — one in 2010, when he suffered a torn biceps tendon.
Anyway, some fans are happy about it and many believe Smith is a fool for bringing in damaged goods. Except, at the moment, he isn’t damaged at all. Fans should be ecstatic. Maybe it’s just too hard to imagine the team doing something smart.I don’t know if Sanders is going to play in no games, one game or 16 games, but that isn’t the thing here. Cheap Jerseys What matters is Smith is bringing in a potential star to plug what has been a weakness in the secondary. Maybe it won’t work out. Maybe it will.In either case, there is absolutely no downside. As in none. This was a guy who signed a five-year, $35-million deal three years ago and the Chargers are getting him for one year, probably for the minimum amount he can make — plus incentives, which they gladly will pay.This isn’t even close to a gamble. If he can’t play, the team is out basically nothing. If he can play, he’s a powerful difference-maker, exactly what they haven’t had since they cut ties with Rodney Harrison (which critics have been bemoaning around here for years).This could be a great thing. It has absolutely no chance of being a bad thing.
This has social media jabbering that Smith, never a fan of free agency, has seen the error of his ways (along with the handwriting on Dean Spanos’ office wall if the team fails in 2011), and is jumping into the free agent pool with both feet.Except that isn’t the case. Sanders is a big name in big name only. He hasn’t done a thing in four years. NFL Jerseys And he was not the kind of unrestricted free agent we’re used to discussing, the kind that Chargers free safety Eric Weddle and Chicago defensive end Julius Peppers could become.In NFLese, Sanders is a “street free agent.” And, despite employing agent Tom Condon, often a part of Smith’s no-fly zone, the safety wanted to come to San Diego. He visited the Jets, Bills and Jaguars, where he reportedly passed physicals.But the answer is, no. Smith never has been a big free agent GM and isn’t about to become one now.Receiver Vincent Jackson was going to be an unrestricted free agent. Smith put a franchise tag on him. He’s not interested in allowing Weddle to go elsewhere, although, as we have seen,Cheap NFL Cleveland Browns Jerseys, the safety hasn’t ruled that out.