The Merriman Watch

During the 2007 season, or at least the part of it he was allowed to play, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman was a dominant force from the outside. But his season was tainted by the fact that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Merriman supporters say he'll continue to be the same beast he was last year while others aren't so sure he'll be as effective now that he isn't receiving a boost from a bottle. The debate has raged on the About Football forum for months now.

So, with that in mind, we've decided to add a new weekly feature that will track the performance of the controversial defender. If his performance is good, bad, or otherwise, we'll let you know. You can draw your own conclusion as to how much of last year's performance was due to his own natural ability and how much came from artificial sources.

Read our first installment of The Merriman Watch.

Photo: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images