While his starting running back holds out in anticipation of a new contract, Philip Rivers said this week that he is content playing out the final year of his deal.
"I feel fine playing this thing out," Rivers said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, per Pro Football Talk. "The expectation and hope is to be here again next year, but it doesn't need to be done right now. If it were to some time soon, great. If not, let's play it out and worry about it in the winter."
Rivers is entering the last year of a four-year extension signed in 2015 and is owed $11 million in base salary and a $5 million roster bonus.
The 37-year-old quarterback is coming off one of his most stellar seasons. Rivers completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 4,308 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2018, as Los Angeles returned to the postseason for the first time since 2013.
Rivers' consistent production and continued leadership has made the decision to keep him around for the foreseeable a future an easy one for Bolts management.
"We're on the same page with Phil. We've talked about it. He's our leader now and in the future and we're in a good place," Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told NFL Network this week. "We'll still have those talks, but really right now we're focused on, and he's focused on playing right now."
Rivers' situation is far different than that of Melvin Gordon, the rookie-deal running back holding out for his first big contract.
The quarterback said this weekend that he sympathizes with Gordon and can't wait to have him back on the field, whenever that is.
"You want our team to have the best chance to win," Rivers added on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "Hopefully we see Melvin soon. I think Melvin adds a great deal to our team."
