Philip Rivers had had a pair of excellent, bounce-back seasons for the Chargers the last two years, and this is a team that went to the playoffs in one of them and just missed out in the season finale in the other. So why would there be all this talk about him being traded?

It seemed crazy initially, but there's enough smoke now to believe there's a fire. This article by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune makes it clear this isn't just some wild Internet speculation. Since Acee and Rivers are close, it looks like the article was written with Rivers' encouragement.

Maybe Rivers doesn't want to move to Los Angeles if the Chargers move there, maybe he wants a huge new contract, maybe he just doesn't like head coach Mike McCoy. Whatever. It's clear that at least some part of Rivers wants out and some part of the Chargers is willing to explore the possibilities.

Rivers to Tennessee and Marcus Mariota to San Diego? That's the liveliest rumor out there. Of course, there are rumors connecting Mariota to Tampa Bay, Cleveland, the Jets, the Titans, the Chargers and the Eagles, and clearly only one of them, at most, can come to pass.

It might seem crazy to imagine Rivers being available, but big-name quarterbacks with some good years left in their careers being traded isn't exactly unprecedented. Joe Montana, Drew Bledsoe and Brett Favre were all traded; they had some success in their new homes, but the youngsters who replaced them all went on to win at least one Super Bowl.

Then there's the star veterans who have been released for one reason or another: Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning. Those quarterbacks too went on to enjoy some success in their new homes. And some of the quarterbacks who replaced them either won Super Bowls (Eli Manning) or probably will (Andrew Luck).

Fantasy-wise, it's difficult to see Rivers changing teams as being beneficial for the Chargers. They'd need to either rush a youngster into the lineup or find some re-tread; either wouldn't be nearly as good for the likes of Keenan Allen or Antonio Gates.

If he went to the Titans, it would be a boost to Delanie Walker, Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter. So there's that.

End of the day, it's difficult to see a deal happening unless the relationship between Rivers and the Chargers is really broken. Or if they simply love one of the young quarterbacks and are certain he'll be their starter for the next 7-10 years.

Two weeks from tomorrow night, we'll know for sure.

--Andy Richardson