Chargers part ways with Chambers

SAN DIEGO – The Chargers parted ways with Chris Chambers Monday.

For so many reasons.

Officially, and legitimately, the emergence of Malcom Floyd as a dependable target and big-play threat made the struggling Chambers expendable after two years in San Diego.

But, in a phone conversation after he was released, Chambers (who is recently divorced) said he believes some off-field issues played into his release – specifically a relationship with a woman sources on the team believed may have had a negative impact on his performance. Chambers thinks any such determination would be unjust.

“I thought the team gave up on me a little quick – for factors that don't have to deal with football,” he said. “I guess it created a distraction upstairs. I kept my head on straight. We all go through things. I did my best to not have my personal life and football clash. They know a little too much of my life, and they used it against me.”

Chambers made one catch – a crucial third-down conversion in the fourth quarter – in Sunday's victory over the Raiders. But he also was benched at the start of the game in favor of Floyd. The two had been splitting time since the second week of the season, with Floyd's snaps increasing and Chambers' decreasing.

The veteran wide receiver was called out of the weight room Monday morning and told he was being let go.

But this decision had been brewing among the team's decision makers for some time.

Chambers has had trouble getting open and making catches this season. He has just nine receptions in the 31 times he has been targeted, the second-lowest reception rate in the NFL among players targeted more than 20 times.

On Oct. 25 in Kansas City, he dropped an apparent touchdown and another third-down pass.

Chambers, 31, is still owed the balance of his $4.55 million salary. Any team that claims him off waivers would have to pay him more than $2.4 million for the rest of the season. For that reason, he will likely clear waivers and then sign with another team. In that event, he will collect a new salary in addition to the $2.4 million from the Chargers.

Neither head coach Norv Turner nor General Manager A.J. Smith would discuss Chambers' off-field issues or their effect on his release. But multiple sources confirmed the team was willing to swallow the contract because it foresees things getting worse.

“With the further development of Malcom Floyd … we felt that the time was now,” Smith said. “This situation has been discussed at great length for quite some time. The always capable Kassim Osgood and the continued good health of Buster Davis entered heavily into this decision.”

Pressed about other factors, Smith said, “I have said many times before there are many reasons why a player becomes a Charger and many reasons why we may move in another direction. We do not discuss from A to Z all of our personnel decisions. I believe I just gave you a detailed explanation of why we made the move. I'll stand by that.”

It is common practice for a team to attempt to protect its players' image and not disparage them in a way that would jeopardize future employment. But Smith has made a point of emphasizing character in his personnel decisions. Had Chambers been performing at a higher level, he might have been kept, but he was not going to be brought back when his contract expired after this season, a source said.

Chambers, who played for the Miami Dolphins from 2001 until the Chargers acquired him in exchange for a second-round draft choice at the trading deadline on Oct. 16, 2007, has 482 career receptions for 6,827 yards and 53 touchdowns.

The Chargers offense was struggling before Chambers' arrival that season, as defenses were able to key on Antonio Gates. Chambers gave quarterback Philip Rivers another target, and he caught seemingly every ball thrown his way.

“He made an impact right away,” Rivers said Monday. “He came in and obviously showed the reason why we got him. Made big plays, had an effect on keeping some of the coverages from being zeroed in on Gates and really had a big hand in that push to the AFC Championship Game.”

After finishing with 51 catches for 833 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games, including postseason, Chambers began the 2008 season with five touchdowns in the first five games. But an ankle injury suffered in that fifth game hampered him most of the rest of the season as he finished with a career-low 33 receptions and 462 yards.

Chambers acknowledged the Chargers expressed concerns to him recently about his personal situation.

“I tried to do the right thing,” Chambers said. “I didn't play as bad as they tried to make it seem. I was in a bit of a slump. I would like to have some of those plays back. It's been agonizing.

“I feel like I'm a really good football player. I've been through some ups and downs. I feel like I was handling it. Time just ran out from their perspective.”