NFL Network’s Adam Schefter reports that the San Diego Chargers have placed their franchise tag on RB Darren Sproles. The move almost ensures that Sproles will return to the team next season. It also points to a potential backfield committee with LaDainian Tomlinson, who will be 30 this year and showed signs of wear and tear in what was a disappointing 2008 campaign.

The Chargers took a major step to resolve their running back issues. They designated Darren Sproles as their franchise player, which will limit his free-agent options but guarantee him $6.621 million for the 2009 season.

The Chargers have some needs to address this offseason, but nothing has drawn more speculation and opinion than the future of RBs LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles. The Tomlinson situation has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, but the Chargers will have to make a decision on Sproles in the very near future.

Chargers running back Darren Sproles has become a valuable commodity after his performances in San Diego’s last two postseasons. And given the recent success of Falcons running Michael Turner, you can expect to find a number of interested teams courting the explosive Sproles.

Let’s think about the questions we had coming into the game and how they would be answered.

NFL Network player correspondent Ty Law is making sure that I put in my blog that he told us Chargers RB Darren Sproles needed to get some screen passes so he could operate in space.

Chargers RB Darren Sproles has at least 10 carries in a game just three times in his NFL career. But in each of those games, Sproles had over 100 rushing yards.

The Chargers had to allow Michael Turner to walk away at the end of last season. Will they have to do it again with Darren Sproles?

Philip Rivers has thrown four touchdown passes, his latest was a toss to Darren Sproles, who went 32 yards to the house.

Maybe it’s his toe. Maybe it’s his 2,422 career regular-season carries. Or maybe he’s just another running back who’s losing some of his effectiveness late in his career.

Whatever it is, LaDainian Tomlinson doesn’t look right to me.

A toe might not seem like much in the grand scheme of the human body, but try walking without the big one at the end of one of your feet.

So when it came out that LaDainian Tomlinson has an injured big toe, I was concerned.

While San Diego RB LaDainian Tomlinson remained on the sidelines for most of the second half against the Denver Broncos, Darren Sproles had himself a day.