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Chargers’ Sorensen move made sense

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Hats off to Brad Sorensen. The quarterback lasted with the Chargers for 16 months. That’s impressive for a seventh-round draftee.

But the Chargers’ release of Sorensen on Friday made sense for two reasons.

The Chargers are trying to win a Super Bowl this year and therefore must make the most of every roster spot going into the season opener Sept. 8. The chances are tiny that a third quarterback will be needed this season, given that Philip Rivers has made every start since 2006 and Kellen Clemens, who started nine games last year with St. Louis, is a savvy backup.

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If Sorensen projected as pretty good starter, you may keep him.

But he had an erratic summer, increasingly looking like a dubious No. 3, let alone a potential starter. His inaccuracy in training camp raised yellow flags, notably because many of his misfires were high.

Sorensen, 26, is old for a second-year player. How much growth does he have left?

Frank Reich saw promise in him leading up to the 2013 draft. Coached by Reich, who was a backup to Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, Sorensen played well in his preseason debut last August and stayed on the 53-man roster all year.

There’s value in a low-salaried quarterback who grows into a system from the floor up. He can allow a team to stretch its payroll dollars and bring know-how to games.

But when longtime No. 2 quarterback Charlie Whitehurst followed Ken Whisenhunt to the Titans in the offseason, the Chargers pursued Clemens, who wouldn’t have come to San Diego if Sorensen was favored to be Rivers’ backup.

Stranger things have happened than a Sorensen return to the Chargers, though on the practice squad.

At any rate, spending a year-plus with an NFL team and working under Philip Rivers, McCoy and Reich, is invaluable for a young passer. Sorensen may continue to be able to earn a living as a player, either in the NFL or an indoor league. And as McCoy has proved, a smart quarterback who is cut by an NFL team may have a future in coaching.

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