"Nate Kaeding has been kicking for three weeks and is confident he will be better than ever when he returns as the Chargers placekicker in 2012.

Yes, when he returns.

"I absolutely expect to come in and pick up where I left off," said Kaeding, who missed all but the first play of 2011 with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Indeed, discussions with those who have a hand in personnel decisions at Chargers Park indicate that Nick Novak might have kicked himself out of a job while Kaeding didn't get a chance to."