Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Even after blowing out the Kansas City Chiefs, fans will be speculating who will be the next head coach for the San Diego Chargers. People have bad Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden at the top of their lists for years. Now you can add a new name to that list – the NFL is voiding Saints head coach Sean Payton’s contact that he signed in September 2011, allowing him to be a free agent at the end of the year. 

That is SEAN PAYTON! He will be the biggest name on the market. Last season everyone wanted to see where Peyton Manning would land, this coming season everyone will want to see where Sean Payton ends up. Could we have both of them in the AFC West?

If the Chargers want to bring in any of the big names, it will cost a pretty penny and they will have to blow Norv and AJ out of town. Will Dean Spanos do that?

UPDATE: The free agency status at the end of the season is in question still. Payton’s contract would end after this season, but some believe that since he was suspended it would toll over to next season. A decision on when he becomes available on the market will be a decision that the league office has to make. 

Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

Let’s review the eventful week that we just had. If you were hiding under a rock for the whole week, here are some of the highlights from your Bolts and around the league.

First off, because this is a Chargers fan site, let’s run down what happened with our team. Starting off the week, Mike Tolbert signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers and took less money from them. That leaves a hole at our backup running back position and we brought in former Kansas City RB Jackie Battle for a tour, but he left without signing a contract.

We picked up another tight end in Donte Rosario. He is the 5th tight end on the roster and will be competing with Kory Sperry for the 3rd string tight end spot.

Then, we lost a couple of players that most fans wouldn’t even recognize their names. Everette Brown was on the roster for three games last year and he signed with the Detroit Lions. We also released SS Deandre McDaniel and he has never seen a game with us. We signed him in January and he was released because he failed a physical because of a wrist injury that required surgery.

For the Chargers, we didn’t do much. Around the league though, there was a lot of noise. We started the week out with Peyton Manning finally choosing his football team and he will be jumping into the AFC West with us as a Denver Bronco. John Elway must have been screaming like an excited little girl after he was able to bring him in. After bringing in Peyton, they had to find someone to take Tim Tebow off of their hands and they traded him out to the New York Jets. Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez will wipe boogers on each other and figure out how they can both be on the field at the same time.

Then, the NFL dropped the hammer on the New Orleans Saints for this whole “bounty” scandal. Head Coach Sean Payton was suspended for a whole year and then former Saint defensive coordinator was suspended indefinitely. The Saints were also stripped of their second round draft picks for the next couple of seasons. San Diego fans were hoping that Norv Turner could get suspended for a whole season as well.

Somewhere this week also, WR Hines Ward retired. He will always be remembered for his toughness.

What a busy busy week around the league! Hopefully next week the Chargers can bring in more players on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s see what happens.

Jan 25, 2010; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton speaks to the media about the Saints victory over the Minnesota Vikings and preparations for Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis at a press conference held at the Saints team facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

On Wednesday, the league dropped these penalties on the Saints management:

• Saints head coach Sean Payton is suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season.

• Former Saints/current Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is suspended indefinitely. (Goodell will review at end of 2012 season and consider whether to reinstate him.)

• Saints GM Mickey Loomis is suspended without pay for the first eight regular-season games of the 2012 season.

• Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt is suspended without pay for the first six regular-season games of the 2012 season.

• The Saints are stripped of their 2012 and 2013 second-round draft picks and have been hit with a $500,000 fine.

This series of penalties is a huge warning to anyone employed by the league to scratch the term “bounty” from their vocabulary.  But is it too much?  I understand Goodells hard line approach, but I fear this will put teams with big defensive hits under the microscope.

Gregg Wiliams is pretty much the guy who should be shouldering the most blame.  I think his indefinite suspension is harsh and expect Goodell to change his mind, but what did the Saints really do wrong?  They asked their defense to go out and beat the crap out of the opposing team.  To hit so hard that guys would not get up.   How is this any different than any teams defensive coaches at any level?

Over 20 players are named in the initial report.  They will feel the impact of their involvement later as the NFL is delaying the punishment to players because of the sheer volume of people involved and the diversity in sanctions that will be applied. In other words, they want to make sure people are properly punished.   Also, the NFLPA asked the NFL to delay discipline toward players until it finishes conducting its own investigation.  I feel so bad for these guys.  They were just doing their jobs.  Now they will be getting fined and possibly suspended.

This is such a waste of time, money and in my opinion good players and coaches.  Payton out for a season?  Might as well not even watch the Saints.  This is football.  Grown men who know the risks and can make their own decisions are playing this sport.  If they did not want to be involved in the “bounty” they said no.

When the Patriots were caught red handed cheating they got minor penalties. I think that was much worse than this and it all started with their weasel of a head coach.  The Saints got into trouble because their DC was tying to motivate the players.

Seems too heavy handed to me.

ChargerGirl Cindi