Chargers to have Eric Weddle back for minicamp

Eric Weddle will rejoin the San Diego Chargers and will be with the team for the beginning of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.

Eric Weddle has held out from all San Diego Chargers activities thus far, but it appears the All-Pro free safety will be ending his attempts to land a new contract. According to Weddle’s agent, David Canter, his client will be on the field with the Chargers when mandatory minicamp begins on Tuesday.

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The 30-year-old Weddle will make $7.5 million in the final year of his deal with the San Diego Chargers and is expected to become an unrestricted free agent at the completion of the season, according to Sportrac. As such, the three-time Pro-Bowl and two-time first team All-Pro defensive back was hoping to lock up a multi-year extension prior to the beginning of the season. However, the Chargers have opted to play out 2015 and will only negotiate with Weddle after the year.

Weddle held out of all voluntary activities, including OTAs, in an attempt to push the issue. However, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco felt the organization and Weddle were in very different financial places in regards to an extension and called off negotiations. Weddle will now play through the final year of his deal and test the open market after this season, something both he and his agent are very open to.

"“It’s blatantly obvious after me asking the team time and again to extend us that Eric isn’t wanted. So it’s time for Eric to move on [to] where he can win and is wanted.” – David Canter (h/t Darin Gantt, Pro-Football Talk)"

After being drafted 37th overall by the Chargers in the 2007 draft, Weddle has spent his entire eight-year career in a San Diego uniform and has played in all but three games during that span. Weddle has averaged 84 tackles and three interceptions during his career. Unfortunately, it appears as though that career in San Diego now has a one-year expiration date on it.

His ability to play every down and also represent a strong presence on special teams is what has separated Weddle from his contemporaries over the years, and that is what he and Canter will hope to use to market him as a free agent.

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