SAN DIEGO - Drayton Florence has received high marks for the way he has handled his midseason transition from starter to reserve. But that doesn't mean the five-year veteran is ecstatic about being the Chargers' third cornerback.

As second-year player Antonio Cromartie ascended to Pro Bowl status with an NFL-leading 10 interceptions, Florence's role changed to backup, equating to a substantial drop in playing time.

"Things happen throughout the course of the year and you have to roll with the punches," Florence said Wednesday. "It's not an individual sport. It's a team sport so the more I can do to help, the more games we can win and the more successful everybody's going to be. It's tough going from a starter to not being one. I still prepare like I'm a starter every game and that's what keeps me going.

"It's still tough. I'm not going to lie to you. But I still go out and make plays when I get in."

Florence fancies a return to starting status, and that likely means he will be moving on to another team following this season. He's in the final year of his contract and said he will deal with the situation after the season ends.

General manager A.J. Smith said Wednesday that he continues to negotiate with Florence's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, in hopes of reaching a contract agreement.

"I would love to have Drayton Florence continue to be a part of this football team," Smith said. "We've been talking on and off for three years and nothing has materialized. We will continue to talk. Even when he goes to the (free agent) market, we will continue to talk."

Smith gives Florence high marks for the way he has handled his business. Florence started the first 10 games of the season before being informed by defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell in mid-November that he would be a reserve for the remainder of the season.

"He's handled it well," Smith said. "He's in a contract year. He's a good football player. He works hard and he's helping us and he's contributing. There are different ways you can go. Some people can be dejected, go in the tank and have an attitude of 'I can't wait to get out of here.' Or you can say, 'Fine, I'm a professional football player on a very good football team and good things may happen to the Chargers and I want to be a major part of it.'

"More importantly than that, he knows that people are evaluating him each and every game. It's a business. He's a businessman and a heck of a kid."

The Chargers lead the NFL in interceptions (29) and takeaways (44), and the secondary has played a huge role in that success.

Florence, a second-round pick in 2003, is responsible for three of the takeaways, with two interceptions and one fumble recovery. He also is receiving credit for keeping things cohesive in the secondary after the Chargers promoted Cromartie at his expense.

"Drayton understands the situation," secondary coach Bill Bradley said. "The best thing about Drayton is that he's never gotten down on it and he stays alive and alert in practice. We still give him reps. He's been just a mature person about it, which I think is good."

Adds strong safety Clinton Hart: "Hats off to Drayton Florence. He's done an excellent job handling his situation and dealing with his situation. That's the biggest thing. Coach Bradley has done a great job keeping us together, to where in the past guys have been deciding to go in different directions as far as their thought process of where they should be in the system."

The compliments are welcome, but Florence is adamant about one thing.

"I know I'm a starter in this league," he said. "A.J. knows that. Our defense knows that. Everybody knows that I'm a starter."

But for now, returning to a starting role can wait. Florence is more focused on helping the Chargers go on a sustained playoff run.

"The chips will fall where they may," Florence said of his future. "You can't go playing during the season thinking about what's going to happen next year, because you don't even know what's going to happen on the next play. You have to go out and play and perform and everything else will take care of itself."

- Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.