Pro Football Grapevine

For some, it makes him a genius, but to Micheal Silver of Yahoo.com it may be a reason for their poor play.  Check this out…

Smith has received much praise for locking up core players long before they’re eligible for free agency. But upon closer inspection, some of those deals may have been premature and ill-advised.

Among the examples cited by critics: Pass-rushing linebacker Jyles Tucker, who had played in just six regular season games coming into ‘08, signed a five-year extension before the season and has struggled as a replacement for the injured Merriman. Inside linebacker Matt Wilhelm, who agreed to a five-year extension in December 2006, lost his starting job five games into the ‘08 campaign. Inside linebacker Stephen Cooper, who got a five-year extension before the ‘06 season, missed the first four games of this year after being suspended for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy (he reportedly tested positive for a banned stimulant). Defensive end Luis Castillo signed a lucrative, five-year extension in July, though he had missed six games in each of the previous two seasons with ankle injuries. Strong safety Clinton Hart signed a five-year extension this past April and, like the others, has been far from dominant.

In retrospect, it’s easy to view these moves as self-serving: By making commitments to these players, Smith was perpetuating the notion that he had drafted shrewdly.

More important, some Chargers players believe that the widespread financial security in the locker room – and particularly on the defensive side of the ball – caused the team to lose some of its competitive edge. Whereas teams like the Titans typically refrain from offering extensions to young, productive players until their rookie contracts are near or at their end, Smith’s approach does not allow for the same degree of uncertainty.

You can read other possible reasons for the Chargers collapse as well as other great NLF notes from Micheal, here.