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News on Donnie Edwards (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Islander
- Start date
ffchamp1
Footballguy
Yes he is, back injuryTom
Achilles
Footballguy
He is also in the doghouse.Wilhelm looked pretty good last night. Of course a High School team could get past the Packer OL.
Jestefarean
Footballguy
Tim Dobbins looked pretty good late, and I have heard the coaches like him...any chance he jumps over Wilhelm for the job? (when Donnie leaves or is hurt)
gregjcross
Footballguy
its a three ring circus for backup ILB with Wilhelm, Stephen Cooper and Tim Dobbins, in that order. they possbily want Dobbins to start next year, when Edwards/Godfrey move on as there contracts are up. Dobbins will likely cut his teeth on ST this year. If they trade Edwards, the fireworks begin.....
Exactly right.
Jene Bramel
Footballguy
Posted some more detail in the eyes-on game thread, but from what I saw this weekend, Cooper will be the man to get. Hopefully MT got a little better look than I did, but Cooper was more active than the box score showed and, despite earlier reports that suggested otherwise, he lined up at LILB not Wilhelm, which IMO is how it should be.
Didn't see Dobbins.
Didn't see Dobbins.
I just watched the first two series again. For the most part, Wilhelm was on the weak side and Cooper was on the strong side. (The exception was when Cooper got his sack. On that play Wilhelm and Cooper were both on the strong side.)First series1st and 10 -- Wilhelm on left/weak side; Cooper on right/strong side.2nd and 10 -- Wilhelm on right/weak side; Cooper on left/strong side (blitzed).3rd and 10 -- Nickel D; Wilhelm on left/weak side; Cooper on sidelines.Second series1st and 10 -- Wilhelm on right/weak side (blitzed); Cooper on left/strong side (blitzed).2nd and 3 -- Wilhelm on right/weak side; Cooper on left/strong side.1st and 10 -- This was a funny formation. Wilhelm lined up in a normal RIL linebacker position on the strong side. Cooper lined up outside to the right of Wilhelm, next to Merriman. The normal LIL line position was empty. This is the play Cooper got his sack on when he blitzed.2nd and 20 -- Nickel D. Wilhelm on left/strong side. This is when Wilhelm blitzed and got a sack. Cooper on sidelines.3rd and 29 -- Dime D. Wilhelm backed way off in the middle. Cooper on sidelines.
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Jene Bramel
Footballguy
Thanks, MT. That's what I noticed as well; Cooper at LILB and Wilhelm at RILB. I wasn't paying close enough attention to note the nickel backers. Wilhelm is really a wild card here; if he holds the starting job long term, he'll play in the nickel. If Dobbins beats him out long-term, I think Cooper's value is much higher.Did Godfrey sit in the nickel last season after Merriman stepped up into the full time role?
No, Godfrey came off the field in nickel packages. It was Donnie, and two of Foley/Merriman/Phillips.
gregjcross
Footballguy
Would cooper start if Donnie is traded then, and Wilhelm only if Godfrey was out? Is Cooper the top backup overall? Monday's USA Today's update, the "Inside Slant," said that Wilhelm is to replace Edwards, so it is confusing. Both players seem to get a lot of ink about potential.
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Jene Bramel
Footballguy
We go off on tangents in so many threads, so I don't know where I've posted this and where I haven't. Apologies if it's a :honda: for this particular thread.Cooper started for Godfrey in a couple of games last season and was tendered a pretty significant contract as an RFA this offseason, while Wilhelm got tendered the lowest amount. Wilhelm has been a special teams guy and looked to have been passed by Cooper on the depth chart based on last season's fill-in work and offseason tenders.I was a little surprised that Wilhelm was apparently slotted in the playmaking position of LILB in this defense because, although he's a little bigger, I thought Cooper was a little more athletic. This weekend's preseason game suggests that Cooper will be the LILB and Wilhelm the RILB, but that Wilhelm will be the nickel ILB. Should that hold in 2007, the value of both will be blunted a bit. For now, I'd guess that Cooper would be first off the bench, but the presence of Wilhelm in the nickel makes me wonder a little.None of which likely matters for this season as Edwards and Godfrey should be the starters. Unless the quarreling Marys of Edwards and Smith scratch each other's eyes out before the season starts. Should that happen, all bets are off.
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Jestefarean
Footballguy
Dobbins came in with the 2nd unit, and has been getting some good press from the locals and the coaches. Here is a quote from Chargers Football Extra:"Both Matt Wilhelm and Stephen Cooper played well with the first unit, and were able to apply pass pressure up the middle. Tim Dobbins excelled playing with the second unit, and was a one man wrecking crew. He aggressively and forcefully played the line of scrimmage, sideline to sideline in run defense, and was also effective rushing the quarterback on pass plays. "
http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/sports/ch...pressive_s.html
Honestly, it sounds like he won't be a factor except for special teams this year, but I keep reading positive snippets, and I'm reminded of Odell Thurman last year. (where I kept hearing Landon was the starter, but Odell was impressing... )
Also heard Donnie will be back, but I can't help but wonder if the Chargers are simply going to deal him. I don't understand why they would, but it seems like they might.
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He stole the show in the second half. He was an absolute monster. On the play where he got his sack, he popped the blocker so hard it wasn't funny. Well, it was kind of funny.
If those are the likely options, how will each of these effect Edwards fantasy value?
What will his value be if he stays? He's been injured, and been in the dog house. If he goes to another team, will he be able to put up the same type of numbers, or will he get placed in a system that killed his value? Is there anything left in him, any way this can turn out well, or is he pretty much screwed?
What will his value be if he stays? He's been injured, and been in the dog house. If he goes to another team, will he be able to put up the same type of numbers, or will he get placed in a system that killed his value? Is there anything left in him, any way this can turn out well, or is he pretty much screwed?
He hasn't really been in the dog house. AJ Smith doesn't like the fact that Donnie always complains about how underpaid he is, but AJ Smith isn't his coach. Marty Schottenheimer and Wade Phillips still love Edwards. They've got no beef with him at all.StuntRock said:
It will be lower than last year. Matt Wilhelm and Stephen Cooper (and possibly Tim Dobbins) are going to get playing time. They will rotate in with Edwards and Godfrey. Edwards will be in on the passing downs for sure, but he probably will not play on running downs anywhere near as much as he did last year.StuntRock said:
Islander
Footballguy
So you are saying D Edwards will get less playing time than last year (especially running downs - affecting his tackle numbers) mainly due to the emergence of young LBs, not so much due to deterioration in Edwards' skills. Correct? Last year I did not see age catching up to Edwards. So I was assuming he was still fine for 2006, even though the backup LBs are good. Am I wrong?
I don't see Edwards comming off the field unless he's injured.
houndirish
Footballguy
Is there any possibility that if the Chargers young LB'rs continue to show promise in preseason, and AJ is unable to trade Donnie Edwards, that the Chargers cut him in the week leading up to the opener?
Jene Bramel
Footballguy
Anything is possible and I may have my head firmly in the sand on this one, but I'll believe that Donnie Edwards is a part-time player or an ex-Charger when I see it.
No. Edwards is still one of the seven or eight best linebackers on the team for sure. (In fact, he is one of the three best.) He won't be cut.houndirish said:
I wouldn't call it a deterioration, necessarily. Edwards didn't play as well last year as he had in the past, but that may have been due to injuries rather than age. He played hurt all year. (On the other hand, it could have also been age. People seem to think that Godfrey is old but Edwards isn't. In fact, they are the exact same age right down to the day.)But he was never great at taking on blockers in the hole, shedding while holding his ground, and making the tackle. Fortunately, the defensive scheme often keeps blockers off of him. But when teams run at him, they are generally successful in picking up yards and moving the chains. The team may believe that Wilhelm is a better run-defender than Edwards, so on third and short (if not occasionally first and ten) Edwards may be pulled.
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From Pro Football Prospectus 2006.
PFP keeps track of some interesting statistics. One of them is the percentage of defensive plays that a player is involved in -- including tackles, sacks, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, pass deflections and interceptions.
Donnie Edwards was involved in 20.8% of the Chargers' defensive plays -- the highest figure for any defensive player in the league. This is impressive.
On the other hand, the quality of his involvement according to certain statistics was poor.
Out of the 11 players in the Chargers' front seven (starters and backups), Edwards was dead last in his "Stop Rate" -- the percentage of plays he was involved in that prevented a "success" by the offense. (A "success" is any first-down play that gains at least 45% of the yardage required to make a first down, 60% of the yardage needed on second down, and 100% of the yardage needed on third or fourth down. So if it's 2nd and 10 and the offense gains 7 yards, that's a success; but if the offense gains 5 yards, that's not a success.)
Castillo - 80%
Olshansky - 76%
J.Williams - 74%
Foley - 71%
Leber - 71%
Phillips - 70%
Merriman - 69%
Godfrey - 67%
Cooper - 63%
Cesaire - 60%
Edwards - 57%
Edwards also ranked dead last among the front seven (starters and backups) in terms of average yards allowed per play that he was involved in.
Phillips: -1.1
Olshansky: 0.9
Foley: 1.9
Castillo: 2.0
J.Williams: 2.1
Leber: 2.1
Merriman: 2.4
Cesaire: 2.4
Godfrey: 3.8
Cooper: 4.4
Edwards: 5.1
A lot of that is due to scheme. Edwards plays deeper in pass coverage than the other guys on the front seven, and is therefore likely to make more of his tackles deeper down the field. On the other hand, his high number of tackles is itself largely due to scheme.
PFP keeps track of some interesting statistics. One of them is the percentage of defensive plays that a player is involved in -- including tackles, sacks, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, pass deflections and interceptions.
Donnie Edwards was involved in 20.8% of the Chargers' defensive plays -- the highest figure for any defensive player in the league. This is impressive.
On the other hand, the quality of his involvement according to certain statistics was poor.
Out of the 11 players in the Chargers' front seven (starters and backups), Edwards was dead last in his "Stop Rate" -- the percentage of plays he was involved in that prevented a "success" by the offense. (A "success" is any first-down play that gains at least 45% of the yardage required to make a first down, 60% of the yardage needed on second down, and 100% of the yardage needed on third or fourth down. So if it's 2nd and 10 and the offense gains 7 yards, that's a success; but if the offense gains 5 yards, that's not a success.)
Castillo - 80%
Olshansky - 76%
J.Williams - 74%
Foley - 71%
Leber - 71%
Phillips - 70%
Merriman - 69%
Godfrey - 67%
Cooper - 63%
Cesaire - 60%
Edwards - 57%
Edwards also ranked dead last among the front seven (starters and backups) in terms of average yards allowed per play that he was involved in.
Phillips: -1.1
Olshansky: 0.9
Foley: 1.9
Castillo: 2.0
J.Williams: 2.1
Leber: 2.1
Merriman: 2.4
Cesaire: 2.4
Godfrey: 3.8
Cooper: 4.4
Edwards: 5.1
A lot of that is due to scheme. Edwards plays deeper in pass coverage than the other guys on the front seven, and is therefore likely to make more of his tackles deeper down the field. On the other hand, his high number of tackles is itself largely due to scheme.
Jene Bramel
Footballguy
The IDP gods know I'm as much of a stat junkie as anybody and I've been hoping somebody way smarter than me could translate team defensive football into individual statistics that were easily interpretable. And I really like what FO is trying to do here.
But these statistics don't take into account the scheme, positional responsibility, or surrounding cast. I'm a big picture guy so I think you have to take into account all of these stats and variables into consideration in a team sport like this. In the interests of full disclosure here, MT is more or less just reporting stats, but has provided valued eyes-on analysis as well while I'm firmly in the camp that Donnie Edwards remains a solid linebacker and GM AJ Smith is a giant git.
The man in question -- Donnie Edwards
Involved in 20.8% of team's plays (164 total -- 86 rushes, 78 passes)
5.1 yards per play involved (2.9 rush yards per play, 7.6 pass yards per play)
57% rush stop rate
20 defeated plays (turnover, sack, stop on third/fourth down)
2 INT, 3 sacks, 11 passes defended
My humble opinions as I read between the lines
It'd really be nice if we had 2004 numbers for comparison. But this is the first year FO has produced player specific numbers on the defensive side of the ball. So we'll work with what we have.
Edwards was involved in nearly 21% of his team's plays -- the highest of any defensive player in the league. But it's not quite that dramatic. Other linebackers in playmaking positions and shaky surrounding casts have similar numbers (Vilma, Thomas, Bulluck are all over 19%). Guys like Urlacher, Peterson, Witherspoon, Brooking are all around 17% or less. Those guys have the benefit of other playmaking linebackers, a solid DL, or both.
The metrics Edwards does poorly in relative to his comps is number of rushes involved in and plays defeated. 86 rushes is a really small number - barely five per game. Is that because he had trouble getting off blocks as has been suggested? Scientific Football produced a stat this year that ranked linebackers on how often they were blocked at the second level. Edwards was blocked 29 times while London Fletcher, Andra Davis, Gary Brackett, Mike Peterson, and Jonathan Vilma were all blocked more than 40 times. Assuming the measurement was consistent, that's a reasonable cross-section of backers (some more respected than others) and Edwards stacks up well, no pun intended. And Edwards gave up only 2.9 yards per run play in which he was involved.
So who was making all the plays against the run, then? It doesn't appear to have been the safeties; by FO metrics they've got some of the worst run-pass involvement splits in the league. It doesn't appear to have been Randall Godfrey -- he was involved in barely over 4 runs a game. It was probably because the Chargers faced the third fewest number of rushing attempts in the league -- only 386.
His 20 plays defeated compares poorly to his comps as well. The Vilmas, Peterson, Bullucks, etc are mostly above 30 here. With an average rush yards allowed of 2.9, I think that opportunity related as well.
What about the 57% rush stop rate? Doesn't that show Edwards is a liability against the run? Other ILB/MLBs rates: Fletcher (50%), Davis (61%), Peterson (74%), Thomas (70%), Farrior (70%). Now we may be getting somewhere. One year's worth of data looks like it sets the benchmark around 70% for a solid linebacker regardless of scheme. This goes to what MT has said with his eyes-on reports -- there are many times when Edwards is in position to make a play for a short gain and doesn't. It's hard to say that he's cleaning up other messes based on his 2.9 yards per involved play.
I think the 7.6 yards per pass play may suggest some loss of coverage skills. He may align deeper than the other guys. But allowing nearly 8 yards per play over 68 plays is either a silly scheme (unlikely), very poor safety play (entirely possible), or a decline in coverage ability (which is hard to confirm without similar stats from prior seasons).
Conclusions
Acknowledging my bias in favor of Donnie Edwards, I think a deep look at Donnie's 2005 statistics show that while he may not be the all-around stud he once was, his game may have begun to slip. But before you think that I'm done with the industrial sized Donnie E chapstick, consider that had Edwards continued at his first seven week pace (before a cartilage injury to his knee that required offseason surgery) his year end stat line would have looked like this:
128 solo tackles, 39 assists, 2 sacks, 5 INTs, and 16 passes defended.
A career season in every respect.
But these statistics don't take into account the scheme, positional responsibility, or surrounding cast. I'm a big picture guy so I think you have to take into account all of these stats and variables into consideration in a team sport like this. In the interests of full disclosure here, MT is more or less just reporting stats, but has provided valued eyes-on analysis as well while I'm firmly in the camp that Donnie Edwards remains a solid linebacker and GM AJ Smith is a giant git.
The man in question -- Donnie Edwards
Involved in 20.8% of team's plays (164 total -- 86 rushes, 78 passes)
5.1 yards per play involved (2.9 rush yards per play, 7.6 pass yards per play)
57% rush stop rate
20 defeated plays (turnover, sack, stop on third/fourth down)
2 INT, 3 sacks, 11 passes defended
My humble opinions as I read between the lines
It'd really be nice if we had 2004 numbers for comparison. But this is the first year FO has produced player specific numbers on the defensive side of the ball. So we'll work with what we have.
Edwards was involved in nearly 21% of his team's plays -- the highest of any defensive player in the league. But it's not quite that dramatic. Other linebackers in playmaking positions and shaky surrounding casts have similar numbers (Vilma, Thomas, Bulluck are all over 19%). Guys like Urlacher, Peterson, Witherspoon, Brooking are all around 17% or less. Those guys have the benefit of other playmaking linebackers, a solid DL, or both.
The metrics Edwards does poorly in relative to his comps is number of rushes involved in and plays defeated. 86 rushes is a really small number - barely five per game. Is that because he had trouble getting off blocks as has been suggested? Scientific Football produced a stat this year that ranked linebackers on how often they were blocked at the second level. Edwards was blocked 29 times while London Fletcher, Andra Davis, Gary Brackett, Mike Peterson, and Jonathan Vilma were all blocked more than 40 times. Assuming the measurement was consistent, that's a reasonable cross-section of backers (some more respected than others) and Edwards stacks up well, no pun intended. And Edwards gave up only 2.9 yards per run play in which he was involved.
So who was making all the plays against the run, then? It doesn't appear to have been the safeties; by FO metrics they've got some of the worst run-pass involvement splits in the league. It doesn't appear to have been Randall Godfrey -- he was involved in barely over 4 runs a game. It was probably because the Chargers faced the third fewest number of rushing attempts in the league -- only 386.
His 20 plays defeated compares poorly to his comps as well. The Vilmas, Peterson, Bullucks, etc are mostly above 30 here. With an average rush yards allowed of 2.9, I think that opportunity related as well.
What about the 57% rush stop rate? Doesn't that show Edwards is a liability against the run? Other ILB/MLBs rates: Fletcher (50%), Davis (61%), Peterson (74%), Thomas (70%), Farrior (70%). Now we may be getting somewhere. One year's worth of data looks like it sets the benchmark around 70% for a solid linebacker regardless of scheme. This goes to what MT has said with his eyes-on reports -- there are many times when Edwards is in position to make a play for a short gain and doesn't. It's hard to say that he's cleaning up other messes based on his 2.9 yards per involved play.
I think the 7.6 yards per pass play may suggest some loss of coverage skills. He may align deeper than the other guys. But allowing nearly 8 yards per play over 68 plays is either a silly scheme (unlikely), very poor safety play (entirely possible), or a decline in coverage ability (which is hard to confirm without similar stats from prior seasons).
Conclusions
Acknowledging my bias in favor of Donnie Edwards, I think a deep look at Donnie's 2005 statistics show that while he may not be the all-around stud he once was, his game may have begun to slip. But before you think that I'm done with the industrial sized Donnie E chapstick, consider that had Edwards continued at his first seven week pace (before a cartilage injury to his knee that required offseason surgery) his year end stat line would have looked like this:
128 solo tackles, 39 assists, 2 sacks, 5 INTs, and 16 passes defended.
A career season in every respect.
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, Jene.With regard to this . . .
. . . The safeties were poor in coverage last year. Kiel played hurt (and is better known for his run support than for his pass coverage anyway), and Jue was often a step late.Also, I would say that Edwards didn't play as well in pass coverage as he had in the past, but that also may be because of injury. It's tricky to separate age from injury here, because both may have been factors.
Also, regarding the possibility that Edwards may not be involved in short-yardage situations, Marty seemed to refute that in today's paper: "If Donnie is healthy, Donnie is going to do what he's done in the past, and that's play every snap. But he's got to come out and get going."
Finally . . .
I wouldn't say that Edwards has a shaky surrounding cast. I think the Chargers' front seven (as opposed to the secondary) is justly recognized as the best in the league. Jamal Williams, Luis Castillo, and Igor Olshanksy are all studs. Their job isn't always to make plays, but to occupy blockers and let the LBs make the tackles, but they are extremely effective in their roles. And with Merriman and Foley in the mix, Edwards is considered by some to be the third best linebacker on the team. So I wouldn't say that the Chargers lack the benefit of other playmaking linebackers, a solid DL, or both.
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Jene Bramel
Footballguy
True, I wasn't clear enough. I love the Charger DL. A couple of clarifications.
One, I had intended to note the difference between the 3-4 and 4-3 DL in the post, but forgot. As you say, there's a big difference in responsibility, and in Edwards' case the shakiness of the cast wrt to DL is tied to the fact that the 3-4 linemen aren't expected to make plays in run support directly. Although the Charger line does it as well as than any 3-4 group (raw tackle numbers in Cle and Pit notwithstanding).
Second, I appreciate Foley and Merriman as much as the next guy and Merriman certainly showed big time potential in run support from an 3-4 OLB by year's end. But last season, neither were particularly able in run support or coverage, attributable in parts to talent or scheme limitation.
So I wouldn't say that the 2005 Chargers were blessed with other playmakers (outside of pass rushing OLB) in run support or coverage among the front seven. I do think the potential is there for Merriman this season, though.
And I definitely agree that it remains to be seen how much of Donnie's decline was age vs injury. The decline in stats over the final 9 games could also have been due to the emergence of Castillo and Merriman at the same time.
Thanks for the Marty quote. That's about as direct as you'll ever hear Marty about anything and you know Edwards is appreciated by the coaching staff.
Toads
Footballguy
Jene, nice to see you quoting Scientific Football 2006 by JC Joyner "The Football Scientist".This is some good stuff, 706 pages of some serious good stuff.
And just to think: We never knew how good Kendrick Clancy ARI-DT was!
Jene Bramel
Footballguy
Joyner's stuff is better than it was last year, but many of his conclusions are difficult to defend due to sample size. And some of his "eyes-on" analysis is a little shaky on the defensive side of the ball. Both Scientific Football and Football Prospectus were improved this year for us defensive junkies, though.
Jestefarean
Footballguy
Thats classic!
ATC1
Footballguy
I picked him in the last pick of my rookie draft after seeing that performance. If D. Edwards does leave. We may see him early. I want to see him next week though. GB O-line is nothing to impressive right now.
Jene Bramel
Footballguy
#62. Bring your playbook, son. Coach McCarthy wants to see you.
Toads
Footballguy
Actually, his conclusions are right on from his perspective. True, sample size is something that he'll be adjusting for the '07 issue, going from receptions to "successful plays" for WR's for example.The most interesting information is, in my estimation, the statistical information that allows us to see why one player is a FFB stud why another is just a run of the mill player. For example, Deshea Townsend gets a top rating as a "one of the best CB's" as far as statistical cover skills at three different levels....short, medium and deep. This doesn't mean that he's the best FFB corner though as teams shy away from him and target Ike Taylor to excess. So, Taylor looks like the stud when, in reality, he's the weak link.
Same with Shawntae Spencer, a surprise fantasy stud from '05. He's lousy and gets targeted all day because he gets beat all day....but he's a stud to us because he's got great FFB stats.
You've got to be able to read into the information to figure out why some guys are real good.
Some are real good because they defeat their blockers over 50% of the time. Some are good because they make the tackle eight yards down the field.All in all, it's great stuff but it takes a bit of interpolation to adjust it for FFB use.
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The Man With No Name
Footballguy
I like Edwards and think he has some good seasons left. Doubt if any team will give a first day pick, unless it's a top team who loses a stud in preseason. A first day pick would be worth it to a team thinking Super Bowl.
gregjcross
Footballguy
Another report, on the Chargers in general, actually said Donnie was already gone, accidentally listing him as a "key Loss" along with Drew Brees. but it was a mistake from some kind of Wager site that provided no defensive analysis.
Humorous though considering all the rumors.
Humorous though considering all the rumors.
BoltBacker
Footballguy
I wonder if this was before or after the Saints traded for Shanle? Seems to me Edwards will playing in SD this season. Shanle isn't on Edwards level but he's younger and still improving.
Shanle was brought in to back up the injured Polley at WLB. He played ILB for Dallas IIRC, but he won't translate to a MLB in the 4-3 defense.
Edwards requests to leave Chargers
Trade talks with Saints break off
By Kevin Acee
STAFF WRITER
August 25, 2006
Donnie Edwards, not for lack of trying to leave his hometown, appears stuck here for now.
Sources said yesterday the Chargers and New Orleans Saints have broken off trade talks, the Saints refusing to come up from their offer of a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for the beleaguered linebacker.
The Saints are the only suitor to have contacted the Chargers.
Sources also said that Edwards and General Manager A.J. Smith spoke recently in a meeting requested by Edwards. In that conference, Edwards asked Smith to let him go to New Orleans.
Following the meeting, the Chargers contacted the Saints and said they would take a third-rounder in exchange for Edwards, but New Orleans held firm.
Smith yesterday stuck by his policy, adopted early in training camp, of not discussing Edwards.
Edwards declined to speak to the Union-Tribune yesterday.
Edwards pulled up lame in the Chargers' second practice on the first day of training camp and has not practiced since. He has in the past week appeared on the verge of returning to practice but has yet to do so.
Matt Wilhelm, meanwhile, has acquitted himself as a viable replacement. Head coach Marty Schottenheimer has said Edwards will be the starter if he is healthy.
The 10-year veteran, an alumnus of Chula Vista High, will miss the Chargers' exhibition game against Seattle tomorrow. Should he return to practice when the team resumes work Monday, which Schottenheimer said he expects, Edwards could play in the exhibition finale Sept. 1 at San Francisco and be ready for the regular-season opener 10 days later.
“He needs to get to work,” Schottenheimer said. “It will take him some time. I don't care who you are, it's a different pace.”
If Edwards is not dealt before the Oct. 18 trading deadline, he will play the season essentially as a lame duck. He is clearly ready to leave, and equally clear for some time now is that Smith has little use for him.
The Chargers in April informed the rest of the NFL that Edwards was available for trade. Smith's asking price was a second-round pick. While the Chargers came down by saying they would accept a third-rounder, word out of New Orleans has always been the Saints aren't going to part with a first-day pick.
The difficulty in obtaining a high pick for Edwards is that teams do not want to overpay for a 33-year-old linebacker in the final year of his contract. Edwards is due $3.55 million this season, the final installment of a five-year, $18.75 million deal.
Edwards, who has missed just one start since 1997, has led the Chargers in tackles each of his four seasons in San Diego. He also led the Chiefs in tackles from 1998 through 2001. Only Miami's Zach Thomas has more tackles over the past seven seasons.
Many of Edwards' tackles, however, are downfield. And among linebackers, he ranks 61st in sacks and 36th in tackles for loss over the past seven seasons.
It is true that Edwards is not asked to be a pass rusher and, in fact, is among the league's best linebackers in coverage. But the fact that he is not a game-changing linebacker in the vein of Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher, yet has continually asked for more money while being among the league's highest-paid inside linebackers, is what has apparently rankled Smith.
In June, Smith said: “It has become crystal clear to me that Donnie is very unhappy with his contract and has been for a few years. We have always appreciated Donnie Edwards' playing ability, and we believe he is well-compensated. However, because of his unhappiness we will do everything possible to find him a new team – a team that will appreciate him the way he would like and will compensate him with an amount that will make him very happy and content.”
Trade talks with Saints break off
By Kevin Acee
STAFF WRITER
August 25, 2006
Donnie Edwards, not for lack of trying to leave his hometown, appears stuck here for now.
Sources said yesterday the Chargers and New Orleans Saints have broken off trade talks, the Saints refusing to come up from their offer of a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for the beleaguered linebacker.
The Saints are the only suitor to have contacted the Chargers.
Sources also said that Edwards and General Manager A.J. Smith spoke recently in a meeting requested by Edwards. In that conference, Edwards asked Smith to let him go to New Orleans.
Following the meeting, the Chargers contacted the Saints and said they would take a third-rounder in exchange for Edwards, but New Orleans held firm.
Smith yesterday stuck by his policy, adopted early in training camp, of not discussing Edwards.
Edwards declined to speak to the Union-Tribune yesterday.
Edwards pulled up lame in the Chargers' second practice on the first day of training camp and has not practiced since. He has in the past week appeared on the verge of returning to practice but has yet to do so.
Matt Wilhelm, meanwhile, has acquitted himself as a viable replacement. Head coach Marty Schottenheimer has said Edwards will be the starter if he is healthy.
The 10-year veteran, an alumnus of Chula Vista High, will miss the Chargers' exhibition game against Seattle tomorrow. Should he return to practice when the team resumes work Monday, which Schottenheimer said he expects, Edwards could play in the exhibition finale Sept. 1 at San Francisco and be ready for the regular-season opener 10 days later.
“He needs to get to work,” Schottenheimer said. “It will take him some time. I don't care who you are, it's a different pace.”
If Edwards is not dealt before the Oct. 18 trading deadline, he will play the season essentially as a lame duck. He is clearly ready to leave, and equally clear for some time now is that Smith has little use for him.
The Chargers in April informed the rest of the NFL that Edwards was available for trade. Smith's asking price was a second-round pick. While the Chargers came down by saying they would accept a third-rounder, word out of New Orleans has always been the Saints aren't going to part with a first-day pick.
The difficulty in obtaining a high pick for Edwards is that teams do not want to overpay for a 33-year-old linebacker in the final year of his contract. Edwards is due $3.55 million this season, the final installment of a five-year, $18.75 million deal.
Edwards, who has missed just one start since 1997, has led the Chargers in tackles each of his four seasons in San Diego. He also led the Chiefs in tackles from 1998 through 2001. Only Miami's Zach Thomas has more tackles over the past seven seasons.
Many of Edwards' tackles, however, are downfield. And among linebackers, he ranks 61st in sacks and 36th in tackles for loss over the past seven seasons.
It is true that Edwards is not asked to be a pass rusher and, in fact, is among the league's best linebackers in coverage. But the fact that he is not a game-changing linebacker in the vein of Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher, yet has continually asked for more money while being among the league's highest-paid inside linebackers, is what has apparently rankled Smith.
In June, Smith said: “It has become crystal clear to me that Donnie is very unhappy with his contract and has been for a few years. We have always appreciated Donnie Edwards' playing ability, and we believe he is well-compensated. However, because of his unhappiness we will do everything possible to find him a new team – a team that will appreciate him the way he would like and will compensate him with an amount that will make him very happy and content.”
