Monday, June 2, 2008

Bolts Add Veteran Newberry


The Chargers added a talented veteran with a wealth of experience Monday when they signed former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Jeremy Newberry to a one-year contract.

“Jeremy is a tough, physical, experienced player,” said Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith. “He brings additional veteran leadership to the Chargers. He has always been a top-level competitor and we are pleased that he will be a part of our team.”

A veteran of 10 NFL seasons, Newberry (6-5, 315) has played in 104 career games and has started every game in which he’s appeared. While his most significant action has been at center, Newberry has also started at guard and tackle during his career.

In 2007, Newberry bounced back from injuries to start 14 games for the Oakland Raiders. With Newberry anchoring the middle, the Raiders rushed for 2,086 yards as a team, the sixth-best total in the NFL. Before his arrival, Oakland ranked 29th in the league on the ground in 2006.

Newberry was originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He enjoyed nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, starting 90 games and earning two trips to the Pro Bowl. He was on the club’s roster in 2006 when Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner served as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator, although Newberry missed the season with a knee injury.

Throughout his career, Newberry has shown a great deal of toughness. Following Pro Bowl seasons in 2001 and 2002, he was hampered by an ankle injury in 2003 but still started all 16 games. His teammates honored him with the Ed Block Courage Award in recognition of his gritty play.

A native of Antioch, California, Newberry has spent his entire football career in the Golden State. He starred at Cal-Berkeley before joining the 49ers.

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