Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers reportedly has no interest in extending his contract now that the preseason has begun. In comments made during Thursday night’s broadcast of the preseason opener, Rivers sounded like the door perhaps isn’t closed yet.
“I have a contract for 2015 and I’m excited to be here with the guys and try to go help us win,” Rivers told Alex Flanagan. “If that changes, if there’s more years after that, then I’ll be fired up. But if not, in the short term I’m excited just to be a part of this team this year and try to lead us to win a lot of football games.”
The way he said “if that changes” created a sense that he’d consider doing a new deal even though the preseason has begun. And with the Chargers reportedly willing to use the franchise tag on Rivers for 2016 and 2017, it shouldn’t be hard to crunch the numbers for a new deal: roughly $25 million (the estimated value of the exclusive tag) for 2016 and $30 million (a 20-percent raise over that) for 2017. That’s $55 million fully guaranteed at a minimum on a multi-year extension.
For Rivers, there’s no reason to accept anything less than that -- unless he’s not inclined to carry the injury risk for 2015.