Chargers Need Only Lachey to Join Fold : Club Signs Other Two Recalcitrants

After a week dominated by talk of drugs and holdouts, there was a positive turn of events for the Chargers Friday when the club came to terms with veteran linebacker Linden King and rookie defensive back Jeff Dale, a second-round draft pick who is given a good chance to start at free safety.

There was also encouraging news when the agent for first-round draft choice Jim Lachey announced he would come to training camp today for a meeting with general manager Johnny Sanders.

Their chat will be aimed at reducing the gulf that led to some mid-week histrionics in which Lachey’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, said he was getting close to requesting a trade. Sanders countered by saying Lachey, the big offensive tackle from Ohio State, would play for the Chargers or not at all.

“Rather than sit and let the days tick off, it seems time to act, so I will meet with Johnny to see if we have any common ground,” Steinberg said.

“It is our feeling that we have made a scaled-down, moderate and eminently fair proposal to the Chargers, but Jim has been sitting here day by day, and Coach Steinberg can’t prepare him as well as Coach (Dave) Levy in the fundamentals of the offensive line.”

While Steinberg was delivering those carefully crafted sentiments, Sanders was busy ending the filibusters with the agents for King and Dale.

King wound up agreeing to terms on a four-year contract, which he expects will be the last of his career, and Dale agreed to a series of one-year contracts, the first of his career.

King, an eight-year veteran, ranks with fellow linebacker Woody Lowe as the senior member of the Chargers’ reconstructed defense. He said he was able to get all he wanted in his new contract by waiting, even though he was forced to wait until the day veterans were required to be in camp.

The veterans will undergo physical testing this afternoon before beginning two-a-day workouts Sunday.

The most outspoken member of the defensive unit, King said he knows more is expected of him as a senior statesman.

“No one has said a word to about leadership,” King said, “but Woody and I are the only guys who have been on championship teams, so it’s sort of up to us to let the others know.

“Nobody really knows what to expect from this defense, but maybe that’s good. I know we have some new defensive backs who can fly.” and I think the organization is really committed to improving.”

One of the more promising young defensive backs is Dale, who is large (6-foot 3-inches, 215 pounds) and confident, along with being fleet.

Dale wasn’t afraid to contradict a statement by Coach Don Coryell that missing a week of training camp would make it much more difficult for him to win a starting job.

“It’s really hurt him,” Coryell said earlier Friday. “It’s tough for any rookie to break in, and he’s way behind. Jim Wagstaff (the secondary coach) will work with him on the blackboard to try to help him catch up.”

Dale let it be known he expects to be a starter, anyway.

“The Chargers have released so many veterans and have so many rookies that I don’t think it hurt me (to hold out),” he said. “I learn defenses easy, and my position, free safety, isn’t the most complicated, so I think I have as good a chance to start as anybody.”

Dale was drafted as a strong safety, but Coryell said the Chargers would move him to free safety. “I like the move, it gives me more freedom,” Dale said. “I think I have enough speed, otherwise the Chargers wouldn’t have drafted me on the second round.”

With the resolution of the King and Dale contracts, the defense is set, leaving only Lachey out of the fold.

Here comes Steinberg, armed with comparative figures and either an acceptance speech or a stinging counterattack. “Somebody has got to take the bull by the horns,” he said, “but the mere fact we’re meeting doesn’t mean we feel differently about the issues.

“We just want to see if there’s any way to convince Johnny to pay fair market value.”

Depending on the San Diego Freeway traffic, Steinberg was expected to arrive at UCSD about 2 p.m. So by late afternoon, the last of the holdouts could be history.