Chargers WR Osgood expects better chance in different team

The San Diego Chargers wide receiver Kassim Osgood will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. It seems that he has no plan to stay in San Diego, where he has spent all his seven seasons but as special-teamer most of the time.

Although he has developed into one of the NFL’s premier special-teams players and been named to the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster three times in the past four years, Osgood hopes to have more playing time as wide receiver. He made just five receptions for 61 yards and zero touchdowns at wide receiver from ’05 to now because of lack of playing time. In order to show he is more than just a special-teams standout, Osgood would like to put on the NFL jersey of another team who would offer him better chances.

At 6-5 and 220 pounds, Osgood is a smart player and has a good feel for the game. But he is turning 30 years old in May and he is in lack of burst and has never been known as a good route runner. So the most likely chance is that a new team would also take Osgood as a boost to special teams. It would be somewhat risky to have him play as a solid receiver.

Giants may regret trading Rivers to Chargers

Eli Manning did not work well in leading the New York Giants to win again. The quarterback the Giants thought expendable and traded to the San Diego Chargers in 2004 proved himself to be the very one that could beat Eli Manning.

The first meeting between Philip River, now wearing Chargers jersey, and Eli Manning ended with the Chargers 21-20 victory over the Giants. I believe Manning had done his best, but Rivers was so strong that he could always keep Chargers’ lead in the game. He hit Kris Wilson on a 2-yarder in the third to give San Diego a 14-7 lead, and capped an 80-yard drive with an 18-yard pass to Vincent Jackson with 21 seconds to play and sealed the Chargers’ victory.

It was the Giants fourth straight loss of the season. The team had to head into their bye week at 5-4 and does not any way look like a playoff team. Starting the season with five consecutive wins, the Giants seemed to be stunned by the New Orleans’ 48-27 victory over them too much to brace themselves for the remaining season.

Chargers released safety Hart to re-sign DT Scott

If giving up a starting strong safety is a necessary step to add depth on the defensive line, the San Diego Chargers will not hesitate to do it right away. In fact, they did release starting strong safety Clinton Hart on Wednesday, because they need a roster room to sign defensive tackle Ian Scott.

The Chargers lost tackle Jamal Williams for the season for a triceps injury, and it sounds more important to them to get a new tackle to fill the spot than to decide whether a starting strong safety is expendable. I really feel regretful for Hart, who joined the Chargers in 2004 and has been a starting safety since 2007, but as they always say, it is how the game goes.

As for Scott, the seven-year veteran was already a Chargers’ tackle last September and appeared in four games wearing Chargers jersey. But he was released at the conclusion of training camp. So I wonder whether the Chargers will bring back Hart when they have gotten a roster room this season. It is possible, isn’t it?

Three key offensive starters will miss Chargers Sunday’s game

It is very near that the game between the San Diego Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens will begin. However, three Chargers key offensive starters are expected to miss the game on Sunday.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, center Nick Hardwick and right guard Louis Vasquez all missed their second straight practice on Thursday, decreasing the chance they’ll play against the vaunted Ravens defense. All of the three had injuries, with Hardwick and Tomlinson’s ankles sprained and Vasquez’s knee sprained.

According to coach Norv Turner, the players who missed Thursday’s practice would have less chance than other guys to play in Sunday’s game.