Chargers delay life without Tomlinson

It was a busy Wednesday night in the NFL, highlighted by LaDainian Tomlinson's return to San Diego and Jay Cutler's continued soap opera with Denver.  Let's start with the story we know matters on the field: LT2's return.

It sounds like Chargers CEO Dean Spanos made the difference in keeping Tomlinson.  "The alternative was unthinkable," Spanos said.  It's unclear if GM A.J. Smith felt the same.

The future Hall of Famer will improbably make his scheduled $6.725 million in 2009, which is a lot of money coming off a mediocre year.  Tomlinson took a pay cut for 2010-2011, but he's year-to-year at this stage.  He will need to improve his play to avoid this drama next year.

Tomlinson will make slightly more than franchise player Darren Sproles, who should see more work off the bench this season.  Tomlinson's effectiveness could increase with less touches, even if his overall numbers suffer.  It remains a strong backfield. 

The Chargers are paying over $13 million to their top two backs, but don't be surprised if they still draft their running back of the future.  Their decision to keep Tomlinson keeps Chargers fans happy, but it may only delay that future for one year.