Charger Notebook : Miller’s Contract Is a Little Better Than First Thought

The contract numbers for the Chargers’ first-round draft pick, Anthony Miller, are better for him than the original estimates that followed the Tuesday news conference at which the team announced his signing.

Original guesses ranged between $1.6 million and $1.7 million for the four years of the contract. But sources Wednesday said the numbers filed with the NFL Players Assn. total $1.775 million.

The breakdown: a signing bonus of $800,000; $175,000 base salary and $12,500 reporting bonus in 1988; $200,000 base salary and $12,500 reporting bonus in 1989; $250,000 base salary and $12,500 reporting bonus in 1990, and $300,000 base salary and $12,500 reporting bonus in 1991.

As expected, Miller’s contract easily tops the $1.341-million, four-year deal the Chargers made with Rod Bernstine, their first-round pick in 1987. Miller was the 15th player selected in the first round. Bernstine was 24th.

Neither the Chargers nor Miller’s agent, Bruce Allen, commented on the dollar amounts of Miller’s contract.

But the $800,000 bonus is $50,000 more than the bonus given to Dallas wide receiver Michael Irvin, the 11th player selected. The total of Irvin’s four-year package is $1.875 million.

Miller’s total contract is worth $30,000 more than the package for Phoenix linebacker Ken Harvey, the 12th player picked.

Miami signed linebacker Eric Kumerow Wednesday to a four-year, $1.65-million deal. Kumerow was the 16th player selected.

The veterans don’t report until July 22 and won’t begin practicing until the next day. But defensive coordinator Ron Lynn threw down the gauntlet Wednesday, challenging specific players on his unit to improve on their 1987 performances.

“It’s time for some of us to jump up and be counted,” Lynn said. “It’s time to take a stand. It’s time for Chip Banks to play at Pro Bowl level, for Billy Ray Smith to play at Pro Bowl level, for Lee Williams to play at Pro Bowl level. It’s time for every guy that we line up for that first game to play a step better than they did a year ago.”

Lynn said if the season had begun Wednesday, his starting lineup would have included Smith at left outside linebacker, Les Miller at left end, Mike Charles at nose tackle, Williams at right end and Banks at right outside linebacker.

The two inside linebackers, Lynn said, would be Gary Plummer and Thomas Benson. Elvis Patterson and Gill Byrd would be at the corners, with Vencie Glenn at free safety and Jeff Dale or Martin Bayless at strong safety.

Lynn stopped way short of saying that would be his starting lineup when the Chargers open their regular season Sept. 4 against the Raiders in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

“We have to make some fairly difficult decisions as early as possible,” he said.

He also needs Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations, to reach agreement with Charles, Williams, Banks and Benson, all of whom are still unsigned.

By the end of Wednesday, the Chargers had signed all 10 of their 1988 draft picks.

The final six to sign: Stacy Searels, a fourth-round offensive lineman from Auburn; David Richards, a fourth-round offensive lineman from UCLA; Cedric Figaro, a sixth-round inside linebacker from Notre Dame; Ed Miller, an 11th-round center from Pitt; George Hinkle, an 11th-round defensive tackle from Arizona, and Wendell Phillips, a 12th-round safety from North Alabama.

“It’s a great feeling when you can start off with the complement (of players) you intended,” Ortmayer said. “It gets camp off on the right foot.”