Vincent Jackson was the Chargers’ highest-profile holdout this season, but Marcus McNeill may have been the most important.
The Chargers finally came to terms with their Pro Bowl left tackle on Saturday, signing him to a one-year, $630,000 tender. The deal is a win for San Diego but a giant financial loss for McNeill, who, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, could have signed a $3,168,000 tender before June 15.
Because the Chargers placed McNeill on the “Did Not Report” list, he’s ineligible to play until Week 6, when the Chargers will take on the Rams in St. Louis on Oct. 17.
McNeill’s replacement, Brandyn Dombrowski, had not surrendered a sack in his two starts, but McNeill is nonetheless a huge upgrade for the Chargers’ line. The Chargers are 1-1 through their first two games in the 2010 season.
Despite the embarrassing terms of his new contract, McNeill tweeted “great to be back today … GO BOLTS,” earlier in the day. He will travel with the team to Seattle for their matchup on Sunday.
