Report: Brandon Flowers to stay with the Chargers

Brandon Flowers played 2014 on a one-year, prove-it deal for the San Diego Chargers, and now the Chargers have rewarded the versatile veteran cornerback with a four-year deal.

Yahoo Sports reported Sunday that Flowers will sign a new, four-year contract with the Chargers that should pay him about $9 million per year.

Flowers had three interceptions in 14 games for San Diego last year as he helped revamp a beleaguered Chargers pass defense. He proved particularly valuable to San Diego's defense because of his ability to line up as an outside corner, but also cover speedy slot receivers in the Chargers' nickel defense.

Locking up Flowers long term will allow the Chargers to finally see the secondary that they envisioned having last year after signing Flowers – who was released by the Kansas City Chiefs in May – with 2014 first-round pick Jason Verrett. But Verrett's rookie year was derailed by a pair of shoulder injuries, including a season-ending injury suffered in October.

But the Chargers were encouraged by what they saw out of Verrett in his limited action, and with Verrett expected to be at full strength by the start of the 2015 season, San Diego should feel confident in its secondary.

With Flowers choosing to stay in San Diego, and with Byron Maxwell likely to leave Seattle and sign quickly with a new team on Tuesday, the cornerback market is quickly drying up. The biggest name on the board is Darrelle Revis, who remains under contract with the New England Patriots, though the team has yet to decide if it will exercise the $20 million option on the contract Revis signed last year. If the Patriots pass, Revis will become an unrestricted free agent.

Other available cornerbacks include Buster Skrine (Cleveland Browns), Antonio Cromartie (Arizona Cardinals), Cary Williams (cut by Philadelphia) and Walter Thurmond (New York Giants).

***

Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @ByLindsayHJones