Chargers tendered nine players....

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

Although this could mean nothing at all, the Chargers tendered every possible restricted free agent on Wednesday, a day ahead of the expiration of the current league year.

Those tenders included seven players who are widely expected to be unrestricted free agents whenever a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached between the owners and players' union.

The only RFA tenders that likely will ultimately mean anything are the second-round tenders given to running back Mike Tolbert and linebacker Antwan Applewhite, both of whom have three years of experience.

Malcom Floyd (first and third), Eric Weddle (first), Jeromey Clary (second), Dante Hughes (third), Anwtan Barnes (fourth), Paul Oliver (fourth) and Brandon Siler (seventh) were also tendered but have four or five years in the league. It is anticipated those players will all be unrestricted under a new CBA.

The NFL instructed teams to go ahead and tender all restricted free agents under current rules, which require a player to have six years in the league before being unrestricted. Prior to 2010, which was uncapped as the final year in the current CBA, the requirement was four years.

No agents polled over the past several months believe the new CBA won't roll back the requirement to four years. Several agents even suggested that players would be so angry that NFL Players Association leaders would have to flee the country if they agreed to anything less.

General managers acknowledged privately last week that they had no idea whether tendering four- and five-year players would hold up. One GM called it a "paper exercise."

Said Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith: "We're just doing business according to the (current) agreement ... You don't know what's going to happen."

The level of a restricted free agents tender determines what the Chargers would be entitled to in compensation if another team signed the player. The Chargers would also have the right to match any offer the restricted free agent received.

It is not known how much each tender is worth. Two agents said yesterday they were not even sure because the teams have not shared the numbers with them. One team source said teams don't have the exact numbers.

Offensive tackle Brandyn Dombrowski, who has just two seasons, was given an exclusive rights tender.

Notably, though as expected, wide receiver Legedu Naanee was not tendered. He will become an unrestricted free agent.