ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 13, 2010 AT 9:10 A.M., UPDATED AUGUST 13, 2010 AT 9:35 A.M.
K.C. ALFRED / UNION-TRIBUNE
As Shawne Merriman weighs his future, he says, "What people think doesn't really affect me. They never had to walk in my shoes. But on the flip side, don't label me. Be open-minded."
Linebacker Shawne Merriman signed his one-year, $3.269 million tender this morning and is back with the Chargers.
Having held out most of the offseason and the first two weeks of training camp dissatisfied with his status on the team, Merriman had nonetheless acknowledged he needs to be on the field to prove he is still a dominant player and to do what is best for the team.
"I have a lot to prove," Merriman said as he headed to the Chargers weight room after watching a walk through and then addressing the media. "I'm willing to do the work."
Merriman led the NFL with 39.5 sacks from 2005-07 but missed the final 15 games of 2008 following reconstructive knee surgery. He had just four sacks in 2009 while battling a foot injury and other ailments and playing about one-third of his normal snaps.
Merriman's message yesterday was one of moving forward.
He had said he wanted the team to tell him he wouldn't be traded, which did not happen.
"I know I was wanted here," he said. "... I'm happy to be back here for another year. Everything I wanted to express has been said. I'm happy to put that in the past and get ready to play football.
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