ANTONIO GATES COULD BE BACK

                                             FANS AWAIT WORD ON ANTONIO GATES

The big smile that is so beloved by Charger fans looks like he is becoming a viable option that the team is at least considering. Gates agent Tom Condon and Ed McGuire (Executive VP of Football administration and Finance) are discussing the terms if Gates can return to make camp by this Friday. That is when the team reports to Costa Mesa for training camp. They have their first practice which is open to the public on Saturday.

 The Chargers are extremely thin at the TE position. Behind Virgil Green none of the current tight ends even have a catch in 2017. Gates who still feels like he can contribute is in talks to be the TE#2 behind Virgil Green. Gates who is 38 years old has showed some regression lately not being unable to separate from the younger defenders in the NFL.

                                                 GATES 2016 AND 2017 STATS
  Gates was targeted 93 times in 2016. He caught 53 balls for 548 yards and 7 Touchdowns. The former sure thing on 3rd downs was 20-34 on 3rd downs in 2016. He averaged 41 snaps a game.
 
In 2017, Gates was thrown to 52 times and only caught 30 for 316 yards and 3 touchdowns. In the redzone Gates was targeted 11 times catching 3 balls. He averaged 31 snaps a game and 500 for the season.

 Virgil Green was brought in primarily as a run blocking tight end. In 2017, he scored a low 43.3 rating by Pro Football Focus for the Denver Broncos. Behind him on the roster is Sean Culkin, Austin Roberts, Ben Johnson, Cole Hunt,  Braedon Bowman and Ben Johnson. With or without Gates, who would be a risky roster spot on the final 53 man roster considering his low production and recent struggles to get open even on 3rd downs.

 If Gates doesn't return, the Chargers will be watching the waiver wire closely as cuts take place across the league right before the season begins. Antonio could agree to return but not till late August as well as the veteran doesn't play much in previous preseasons. Whether those terms would be agreeable to Tom Telesco considering Gates missed all of the offseason workouts and his age at 38 makes his football shape questionable at the moment.

 What the Chargers should not do is resign Gates out of some kind of loyalty to the player who has played all of his 15 year career with the Chargers. Either they think he can contribute or they don't. His numbers lately sure reflect the latter. One thing is for sure. Antonio Gates is a sure thing for the NFL Hall Of Fame with his 927 catches for 11,508 yards and 114 touchdowns coming into the league as a undrafted free agent in 2003.