LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers Agree on 3-Year, Restructured Deal

LaDainian Tomlinson and the San Diego Chargers have finally ended their offseason-long soap opera by agreeing on a three-year contract that restructures the running back's original deal.

While "LdT" will take some reductions in his 2010 and 2011 base-compensation numbers, he'll now make the same amount he was originally scheduled to earn in 2009: $6.75 million, which, not coincidentally, is $1.75 million more than Darren Sproles will earn if he signs the team's franchise tender.

Apparently, Tomlinson's new deal will reduce his salary from $8 million and $9.275 million in 2010 and 2011, respectively. He also offset some of this coming season's impact on San Diego's salary-cap numbers through the signing bonus incorporated in the restructured contract.

Tomlinson pointed out that he does indeed "love San Diego" and that his "No. 1 priority" was to remain a Charger. But what makes this deal kind of fascinating is that, according to Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole, it wasn't Chargers GM A.J. Smith negotiating with Tomlinson and his agent Tom Condon.

Rather, it was VP of football operations Ed McGuire and team president Dean Spanos that helped to secure the running back's new contract. And perhaps I'm looking too deeply into the personnel aspects of the deal, but the fact of the matter is that Smith and Tomlinson are two of the most important people in San Diego's organization: you've got to think that if they simply cannot get along, one of them is headed out the door.

And at the moment, even if his deal involves a roster bonus in March of 2010, it appears as if Tomlinson is at least locked in for something longer than the short term.