Chargers Clean Out Backfield, Let Darren Sproles Walk

NFL News - February 26th, 2010 - Written by John Ritter

The San Diego Chargers are officially in the market for a new running back. Just days after cutting ties with LaDainian Tomlinson, team officials have let Darren Sproles hit the market instead of franchising him for a second year.

Sproles is now a free agent without any strings attached, and may sign with any of the other 31 teams. If the Chargers wanted to hang on to keep Sproles all to themselves, they would have had to offer him at least a $7.3 million salary. The team said it still would like to bring him back, but not for that price.

It completes a complete renovation of San Diego's backfield that ranked 31st in the NFL last season despite gaining the second seed in the AFC Playoffs. The Chargers were favored by NFL Sportsbooks to compete for the Super Bowl in 2009, but lost to the New York Jets in the divisional round. In that game, the Jets won with a splendid running game that gained 169 yards, and showed San Diego on it's home field how vital a dominant run game can still be.

The Chargers have only been a top-5 rushing team once this decade during Tomlinson's MVP year in 2006.

To fill the void, San Diego will have to look at potential free agents like Chester Taylor and Willie Parker, or focus on the NFL Draft.

Among the top running backs in the draft are Clemson's C.J. Spiller, Cal's Jahvid Best and Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer. Spiller is projected to go in the middle of the first round, out of the Chargers' reach sans trade, while no other running back has received a high first-round grade.

Bodog lists San Diego as a favorite to win the 2011 Super Bowl, according to NFL Betting Lines, still with one of the best passing attacks in the league.