Safety Eric Weddle is coming off a frustrating final season with the Chargers as injuries and squabbles with the team kept him from ending his run in San Diego on the field in his customary lead role on defense.
On Monday, Weddle will have a chance to start talking to other teams about finding a more rewarding place to spend the 2016 season and beyond. In a chat with Peter King of TheMMQB.com, Weddle said that he feels like he has several more years left in him because he’s never been hurt before last season and that he’d like to spend those years competing for Super Bowls.
“I’ve got 3-5 years left in me,” Weddle said. “I want to go somewhere I have a chance to win a Super Bowl. Until last year, I’ve never been injured. I’ve never had surgery. I don’t drink, I don’t go out. My shoulders, back, legs, hip, they’re all fine. I think I bring a lot to a team.”
Weddle said he feels like he would be a good fit with the Patriots, Panthers, Steelers and Raiders. King notes that the Raiders have to spend a lot of money this year to satisfy the terms of the CBA, which could give them a leg up in the chase for a player like Weddle as he could step into Charles Woodson’s spot in the lineup while taking some of that money that needs to be spent.
They may be further away from the Super Bowl than some of those other teams, but Weddle would get a chance to face the Chargers twice on top of everything else the Raiders would be giving him as part of a deal this week.