Randy Inman
Bruce Bostwick
James Rickard
Jam Patterson 
Winless In Seattle
Robin PottratzShould Ladainian Tomlinson be traded?
January 17th 2009 01:25
Should Ladainian Tomlinson be traded? Yes he should and the Chargers will pull the trigger on a deal if the right one comes along. The more a team denies a trade is in the offing, the more I believe it will happen. And in this case it should happen and it would probably be the best thing for both sides.
A couple of years ago Ladainian Tomlinson was considered the best running back in football. But he has taken a lot of hits over the years with the San Diego Chargers and that punishment adds up.
Despite not playing in preseason games to save him from injuries Ladainian has been injured and missed playoff games the last two seasons. His latest is a groin injury that is tough to come back from. Injury prone running backs do not perform well in the National Football League, and players at this position can go from great to nada in a short time.
The San Diego Chargers messed up when they let Michael Turner go and kept Tomlinson. But Darren Sproles is a good stopgap until they can draft a replacement to carry the ball often. Sproles is probably too small for a full time load.
If teams are interested in Tomlinson then the Chargers should trade him. He probably won’t be the player he was and I think he hurts the continued development of Phillip Rivers. I do not think the quarterback and running back get along and this needs to be Phillip’s team.
I think if a team offered a number one or maybe even a number two pick, then San Diego would be stupid to turn down the trade. If Tomlinson recovers from his groin injury he may still have a season or two in him to help a playoff contender.
However superstar running backs seldom flourish with new teams. Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Edgerrin James and Earl Campbell all come to mind. By the time a superstar back’s original team will let him go, the player is often a burnt out shell of his former self.
Of course there are exceptions like Marshall Faulk going from the Colts to the Rams and doing well. Marcus Allen extended his career by becoming a specialist with the Kansas City Chiefs. And Ricky Williams wasn’t a total bust when he went to the Miami Dolphins though he was always worried about a drug bust!
But if Ladainian Tomlinson gets traded to the right team, he could pull a Marcus Allen and extend his career. He has always been a great receiver out of the backfield. And a reduced carry load in a running back by committee type offense could be what the doctor ordered.
A couple of years ago Ladainian Tomlinson was considered the best running back in football. But he has taken a lot of hits over the years with the San Diego Chargers and that punishment adds up.
Despite not playing in preseason games to save him from injuries Ladainian has been injured and missed playoff games the last two seasons. His latest is a groin injury that is tough to come back from. Injury prone running backs do not perform well in the National Football League, and players at this position can go from great to nada in a short time.
The San Diego Chargers messed up when they let Michael Turner go and kept Tomlinson. But Darren Sproles is a good stopgap until they can draft a replacement to carry the ball often. Sproles is probably too small for a full time load.
If teams are interested in Tomlinson then the Chargers should trade him. He probably won’t be the player he was and I think he hurts the continued development of Phillip Rivers. I do not think the quarterback and running back get along and this needs to be Phillip’s team.
I think if a team offered a number one or maybe even a number two pick, then San Diego would be stupid to turn down the trade. If Tomlinson recovers from his groin injury he may still have a season or two in him to help a playoff contender.
However superstar running backs seldom flourish with new teams. Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Edgerrin James and Earl Campbell all come to mind. By the time a superstar back’s original team will let him go, the player is often a burnt out shell of his former self.
Of course there are exceptions like Marshall Faulk going from the Colts to the Rams and doing well. Marcus Allen extended his career by becoming a specialist with the Kansas City Chiefs. And Ricky Williams wasn’t a total bust when he went to the Miami Dolphins though he was always worried about a drug bust!
But if Ladainian Tomlinson gets traded to the right team, he could pull a Marcus Allen and extend his career. He has always been a great receiver out of the backfield. And a reduced carry load in a running back by committee type offense could be what the doctor ordered.
I think Ladainian Tomlinson should be traded
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