2009 pick Demetrius Byrd released

[Dpantherman]

Posted by Mike Florio on March 22, 2010 6:59 PM ET

Last year, the Chargers took a flier with a seventh-round pick on former LSU receiver Demetrius Byrd, who suffered serious injuries in a car accident only days before the 2009 draft.

Nearly a year later, the Chargers have decided to move on.

The team has announced that Byrd has been released. Says the statement from the team: "Despite the injuries, the Chargers selected him and generously extended him a contract for the season."

And that's the point where the Chargers blew, in our estimation, any goodwill resulting from their decision to take a chance on Byrd. It's not a charity; they drafted and paid him in the hopes that he'd fully recover, and that he'd become much more than any seventh-round pick ever is expected to be. He apparently hasn't recovered, and so the Chargers are moving on.

So why not just call it was it is, instead of attempting to make themselves look far more altruistic than they ever intended to be?

Meanwhile, we wish Byrd well -- and we hope he gets a chance to make a real contribution for an NFL team. Preferably the Broncos, Raiders, or Chiefs.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/22/chargers-end-demetrius-byrd-experiment/

[DaCityKats]

what is his health looking like?

[Pejorative Miscreant]

If he can't have a career I hope he uses the ed and $ to his benefit.

Chargers need some pr lessons but it is a business

[Dpantherman]

what is his health looking like?

only Byrd and the Chargers know the answer to that question

[Boltergeist]

There was a story going around a few weeks back that Byrd was unlikely to play in 10. He would've most definitely been in the mix for WR5 had he been healthy (right now it's Gary Banks at that spot).

[Proudiddy]

Wow, I didn't think he was injured badly enough to miss 2 seasons. I was under the impression he may miss 1 season but not 2.

I don't follow much soccer but if anyone saw that wreck Charlie Davies was in, I thought he may not come back at all and he's already getting ready for the World Cup.

If he was healthy I would love to give him a chance, I thought he was really talented and would be a good pro from what I saw of him at LSU.

[Fiz]

as a Panther fan, I feel like I'm an expert on teams screwing over injured receivers.

[KSpan]

I signed him to the Panthers in my Madden 10 franchise. It's worked out well so far.

[w1bke4s]

I signed him to the Panthers in my Madden 10 franchise. It's worked out well so far.

do it

[Panther'sBigD]

as a Panther fan, I feel like I'm an expert on teams screwing over injured receivers.

Poor Jeffers.

We don't still use the same orthopedic surgeon do we? Can't be, since I've heard of guys coming from all over to have their knees done by him.

[jasonluckydog]

Cool story

[Khyber53]

Sad for the guy, hope he gets a chance to play somewhere.

That being said, we're not exactly great at WR projects (see Drew Carter, Dewayne Jarrett, etc...).

[PantherDude]

Are you making this thread with suggesting we should get Byrd? I don't think it's a good idea. There is a reason why the Chargers release him.

do it