NFL Notes: Chargers, Cowboys, Steelers

Chargers

Don Banks of The Athletic mentioned during an appearance on the Darren Smith Show on 1090 AM in San Diego on Thursday that people in the NFL including Roger Goodell didn’t want to see the Chargers leave San Diego.

“I have been painted a picture from people I’ve talked to that the league was sympathetic…to Dean Spanos’ plight,” Banks said, via The Big Lead. “Feels like he had been a ‘league guy’ feels like he had waited kind of his turn on the relocation front, thought he had the votes the year before — Jerry Jones and Stan Kroenke pretty much outmaneuvered Dean and Mark Davis with the Raiders to be the first in line for LA. So it was almost as if this was a bit of a make up.

“I can tell you this Darren, there are people in the league — including the commissioner — they did not want to see San Diego forsaken. They would rather there be a team in San Diego. If there’s anything viable that they could find to put the league back in to San Diego, I think they will be in that camp strongly.”

Banks believes the NFL is at least talking about the possibility of forcing the Chargers to consider going back to San Diego.

“I think they’re talking about it. I do,” Banks said. “I think there’s already a level of concern at how far south it’s gone, that there are at least people talking about it…I don’t think a true tipping point has been reached, it’s too early for that. But I think there’s enough concern that people are saying, ‘What’s the best option perhaps among bad options?’”

Cowboys

Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence explained that his production this year really has nothing to do with the fact that he’s in a contract year.

“I mean, it’s a contract year, so what,” Lawrence said, via the Dallas Morning News. “I want to be here forever. This year don’t define me as a player. Y’all might say it’s because it’s a contract year, but the first year I was balling. My second year I was balling. My third year I had trouble with my back, so it didn’t seem like I was there. This year doesn’t define me.”

Steelers

• Ian Whetstone points out that the Steelers incurred a $1.15 million cap charge as a result of an injury protection benefit paid to released TE Ladarius Green.