Author: Robin MillerRobin Miller Date: Nov 8, 2006 08:42
Chargers GM focuses on depth of field
UNION-TRIBUNE
November 7, 2006
His last name isn't Spanos, so A.J. Smith can't claim Chargers
ownership. It's just his football team, that's all. The general manager
is the contractor, the supplier, whatever. The retailer/wholesaler,
that's it. A.J. Costco. He procures brand names, in bulk.
One massive thumbprint sits on Chargerville's roof, and it belongs to
A.J. Smith. On Sunday's 53-man roster, 46 players had been acquired by
Smith during his three-plus years on the job. It's easier to list the
seven he didn't bring in: LaDainian Tomlinson, Quentin Jammer, Donnie
Edwards, David Binn, Jamal Williams, Eric Parker and Carlos Polk.
Among the 24 starters – including punter Mike Scifres and kicker Nate
Kaeding, both Smith draftees – tailback Tomlinson, receiver Parker, nose
tackle Williams and linebacker Edwards were not acquired by Smith. Among
those, only Williams, a Bobby Beathard nugget, was here before Smith
arrived in 2001 (serving as the late GM John Butler's assistant).
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