Shawne Merriman says holdout was a waste of time

San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman acknowledged that his holdout was a waste of time.

It didn't garner him a new contract, and it didn't get him a guaranteed that he won't be traded and it didn't get him any close to regaining his Pro Bowl form.

"I didn't accomplish anything at all," Merriman said. "I always knew that I was wanted here, which was one of the biggest reasons for getting things sorted out. You hate to deal with the whole business part of it, but I'm so glad it's behind me and I can go out and play."

Merriman has backed off his insistence that the team guarantee he won't be traded.

"Everybody's on the trading block," Merriman said. "It was more a question of it being talked about so much. This team has bigger fish to fry, and that's playing the Kansas City Chiefs in a month. At no point in time did I want conversation about my future to be above the team, and at some points [last season] it got there. That's what I wanted to stay away from."

"We're happy to have Shawne back," Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said. "He's an excellent player. We're ready for him to get back to work."

And fellow linebacker Stephen Cooper welcomed Merriman back, and made a good point about the holdout.

"It was time for him to come in," Cooper said. "Everybody wants to get paid and everyone wants a big contract, but you can't get one sitting at home. You have to be out there performing and be on film in order to get paid.

"People are always asking whether his knee is healthy and whether he can be as productive as he was in the past. We all know he can do it, but he has to prove it on the field."

Agreed.

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