FanHouse ShaneOlivea

Former Chargers offensive tackle Shane Olivea, a free agent who once looked like one of the league's most promising offensive linemen, is currently without a team. Even if he signs with a team, he can't play until he serves a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.

And although the league doesn't give specifics about past indiscretions, it's clear that whatever triggered this four-game suspension isn't the first time Olivea screwed up. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports:

All the Chargers would say when they released him in February was that Olivea had seemed to lose his motivation. But those around the team have known for some time that Olivea partied himself out of the league.

Acee also reports that Olivea is getting help. I hope it works. Olivea is only 26 years old and still has talent, even if, so far, that talent has gone to waste.

There was a time when Shane Olivea looked like one of the most talented young offensive linemen in the NFL. That time has passed.

After the Chargers took him in the seventh round of the draft, Olivea started all 16 games on one of the best lines in the league as a rookie in 2004, and he was still a solid starter in 2005 and 2006. But last year he struggled and got benched, and this year he was sent packing.

He's now an unrestricted free agent, except that he has apparently already agreed to terms with some NFL team. The Press Democrat reports:

The 49ers have inquired about some possible veteran free-agent pickups. They asked about Shane Olivea recently, but were told that Olivea has already agreed to terms with another club. Olivea, who lost his starting job and fell out of favor with the Chargers, is expected to sign with that team in June.

It's unusual for a player to agree to terms with a team but not sign with that team, but Olivea has apparently decided his best fit is on a team that needs to clear some salary cap space. Which team could that be? Josh Alper speculates at PFT that it could be Baltimore, Carolina, Denver, Detroit or Oakland. Right now it's anyone's guess.