Charger Notebook : Agent Says Banks Needs Bonus Before He’ll Sign and Report
The agent for Chip Banks said Wednesday that he does not expect the free-agent linebacker to report Friday when the Charger veterans come to camp.
Harold Daniels of Los Angeles said the team’s refusal to give Banks a reporting bonus is keeping him from agreeing to a new contract and will make him a holdout come the weekend.
“A reporting bonus is the thing that’s holding it up right now,” Daniels said after the Chargers and Rams worked out together Wednesday at Cal State Fullerton.
Steve Ortmayer, the Chargers’ director of football operations, said he won’t increase his offer.
“If Chip wants additional things put into what we’ve done, then, no, we’re not willing to do that,” Ortmayer said. “We really feel like we’ve made a very substantial offer, and basically Harold has excepted it.
“We have been very close to getting this deal done now for six weeks. We have reached an agreement with Harold, and the ball is in Chip’s court.”
Ortmayer, who spoke with Daniels in the morning, said he still believes Banks will report on time to the team’s training camp.
Banks, 28, a six-year veteran, earned $700,000 in base pay last year, second on the team to tight end Kellen Winslow’s $745,000.
Daniels said the new deal offered by the Chargers is for five years, but he did not reveal salary figures. The length of the contract and the base salary are not a problem, Daniels said.
Banks is one of eight unsigned veterans. The others: defensive ends Lee Williams and Joe Phillips, nose tackles Chuck Ehin and Mike Charles, running backs Tim Spencer and Curtis Adams, and linebacker Tom Benson.
Ortmayer said some might sign today.
Charger and Ram rookies, free agents and veterans who have reported early scrimmaged for 90 minutes in the morning and an hour in the afternoon in near 100-degree heat.
Receiver Jamie Holland turned in the day’s big play.
In the afternoon session, Holland caught a pass from Steve Fuller across the middle, dodged a defender and went 60 yards for a touchdown.
Holland also caught 1 pass for 16 yards in the morning session.
The Chargers scored the only other touchdown of the day by either team in the morning scrimmage, when first-round draft pick Anthony Miller caught a 9-yard pass from Babe Laufenberg.
Coach Al Saunders said he wasn’t overly impressed with any of the four Charger quarterbacks who are seeking to replace retired Dan Fouts.
Laufenberg was 6 of 11 for 74 yards. Mark Malone was 4 of 5 for 40 yards and had one pass intercepted. Fuller completed 4 of 6 passes for 110 yards, and Mark Vlasic was 2 of 5 for 46 yards.
Charger Notes
Steve Ortmayer, director of football operations, said the Chargers will sign Ken Hobart, a quarterback/defensive back. According to Ortmayer, Hobart last played for Hamilton in the Canadian Football League. He said the Chargers plan to look at him primarily as a safety. . . . Ortmayer also said the team plans to sign Brandy Wells, a rookie defensive back from Notre Dame who was drafted and released by Cincinnati. . . . Running back Barry Redden has arrived, and he received treatment from Charger trainers for an injured hamstring. . . . Several Chargers were injured in the scrimmages: linebacker John Taylor and running back Kenny Jackson (concussions), linebacker Alvis Satele (possible fracture of the scapula), running back Kevin Scott (sprained toe), safety Marvin Mattox (shoulder separation), linebacker Randy Kirk (slightly pulled groin), running back Lynn Williams (sprained neck), defensive end Keith Browner (pinched nerve in neck) and linebacker Stacy Price (hip pointer).