The Chargers and longtime kicker Nate Kaeding are butting heads over Kaeding’s future, with the team wanting to wait until next week and then place him on waivers, while Kaeding’s agent is insisting that the Chargers need to give him his outright release now.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Kaeding, who has been placed on injured reserve, went to the Chargers’ facility today and kicked for trainers to show that he’s completely healthy. Agent Rick Smith’s contention is that because Kaeding is healthy and ready to play, the Chargers need to cut him loose right now.
But the Chargers apparently plan to wait until Tuesday, when vested veterans can be placed on waivers. At that point, if a team claimed Kaeding, the Chargers would be off the hook for the rest of his salary. If the Chargers were to cut Kaeding now, they’d owe him $1.2 million in termination pay.
Kaeding played the first three games of this season before suffering a groin injury. The Chargers have decided to go with Nick Novak for the rest of the season, but Kaeding wants to play elsewhere. The question is whether Kaeding will be able to choose where “elsewhere” is and become a free agent now, or whether Kaeding will have to accept going to a team that claims him on waivers next week.