COREY LUIGET SUSPENDED 4 GAMES. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Corey Luiget was suspended by the NFL on Friday for violating the league substance abuse policy. He can practice in off season drills with the team but will not be playing during week 1-4. Some fans think this is the perfect time to release Luiget and draft a NT. Don't get your hopes up.

Luiget is very big in the community with his charity work. Recently, starting a $10,000 schlorship fund in the name of the fallen high school coach in Parkland,FL. Corey has been in Florida spending time with the players from Parkland and mourning his home state tradegy. 

Drafted in 2011 in round 1 with the 18th pick by the Chargers, Corey has had some highs and lows performance wise with the Chargers. Corey put up some amazing numbers in his rookie year considering there were no off season workouts because of the NFL Lockout. Corey played in 15 games and started 11 at DE. In 2012, he was statically 2nd behind JJ Watt for Defensive Lineman in the NFL with 61 tackles and 15 of them for losses and 9 passes defended. He was awarded by being the USA Today All Joe team and Chargers Defensive Player of the Year.

Tom Telesco gave Liuget signed a five-year, $58.5 million extension with the Chargers, with $30 million guaranteed on June 9, 2015. Although he hasn't played up to his contract. He is valued more by the front office than the fans. At one time he was the 7th highest paid player at his position and the stats just haven't equaled the extension that he was awarded. He loses one on one battles constantly. 

“I made a mistake and take full responsibility. As part of my training program, I placed my trust in someone who, in hindsight, was not well-versed in the NFL’s policy on banned substances.“ - Liuget

 In regards to the suspension Telesco said “Even though Corey’s mistake was unintentional, he understands how disappointing this is for everyone in the organization. I’m pleased he has accepted responsibility on the matter, and we respect and support the League’s decision. We also support Corey.“ -Chargers GM Tom Telesco

Translate...We support Corey until we no longer support Corey. With Mebane getting older and Luiget out for the first four games of the season the DLine can't be ignored by Telesco. Either through the draft or in free agency the DLine of the Chargers have to be addressed and fixed now.

The team has not contacted former Dolphins Suh nor do they intend too. Telesco would never go as far as paying a player in this free agent market top tier money for a position he doesn't see as an emergency add on.

Nor does it mean the position HAS to be DT in RD 1. It doesn't mean that at all.

Now the Chargers 26th worst run defense has a huge hole and will have to be addressed before the season. Telesco has never drafted a DT higher than 4th in his tenure as the General Manager. He just doesn't value the positions of safety and DT as much as fans would like.

Corey is to valuable to be released even if it awards the team in cap space. He should however restructure his contract to free up some cap space for Telesco to wiggle around as the draft approaches. The team had $11 million before they signed Mike Pouncey and 6.4 million is needed to sign their draft picks and players in free agency whom still include Antonio Gates and Tre Boston.

Telesco who lacked real leverage to get Luiget to restructure just got his leverage.