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Citing the strong play of young receivers like Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee as well as the need to add another player to help on defense and special teams, the Chargers released veteran wide receiver Chris Chambers Monday.

“There are a number of things that went into the decision,” Head Coach Norv Turner said.  “The reason we’re able to do this is the play of Malcom; the way Legedu Naanee is performing.  Certainly there are a number of other things in terms of our football team that we need to address.  Defensively and in the kicking game, we need to get some help.”

In seven games this season, Chambers caught nine passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.  Both Floyd (11 catches, 251 yards), who started in Chambers’ place Sunday against the Raiders, and Naanee (13-122) have surpassed Chambers in production this season, and Turner said that special teams ace Kassim Osgood can also be more involved in the offense. 

By releasing Chambers and going with just four active wide receivers on game days, the Chargers will have an opportunity to activate another special teams player.  As of early Monday afternoon, they hadn’t replaced Chambers on the 53-man roster, but Turner said that he expected to do so with a defensive player who could help in the kicking game.

Injuries at the linebacker position have taken a toll on San Diego’s typically stout coverage units.  They gave up two returns for scores in Week 6 against Denver, and Oakland’s Jonathan Holland had a 60-yard return and 29-yard average against the Chargers Sunday. 

Antwan Applewhite, one of the Chargers’ top special teams performers, was lost for the year due to an injury in the season opener, and Tim Dobbins will likely miss some time after injuring his knee against the Raiders game.  Brandon Siler, San Diego’s leading special teams tackler, was forced into action on defense when Dobbins went down, and Kevin Burnett’s two-week absence due to an ankle injury has had an affect on the special teams units as well. 

“With the number of new guys we’re trying to fit in there, we’re not as good as we have been and we need to address that,” Turner said.  “We are very, very thin at the linebacker position and we need to address that, which will help us on special teams.” 

At this time, Turner said the Chargers will likely go with four active wide receivers on game day.  He praised the work Buster Davis has done in practice lately but again emphasized the need for another body who can contribute on special teams.  

“If we have a decision to make and it’s between a fifth receiver and a guy that can go down and cover kicks and punts, it’s going to be the guy who can cover kicks and punts,” Turner said.  “We can play with four receivers.” 

Turner called his conversation with Chambers Monday morning a difficult one.  The two had worked together in Miami when Turner was the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator and Chambers was a young player.  Chambers came to the Chargers via trade midway through Turner’s first season as the club’s head coach, and his 35 receptions for 555 yards and four touchdowns helped the Chargers end the regular season with six-straight wins before advancing to the 2007 AFC Championship Game.

“I think so much of him and that makes these things difficult,” Turner said.  “ He’s given great effort on the practice field.  It’s where we need to go as a football team.”