Chargers’ Lachey Would ‘Love’ to Be Bear, Tomczak Says

Chicago Bear quarterback Mike Tomczak, who describes himself as being “best friends” with Charger offensive lineman Jim Lachey, said Tuesday that Lachey has told him “he’d love to come to Chicago.”

Lachey missed Charger practice for the fifth consecutive day, and he refused to explain his absence. His agent, Leigh Steinberg, also refused to shed any light on Lachey’s status. Same for Lachey’s financial adviser and self-described godfather, Stan Glick, a Columbus, Ohio, businessman.

The Chargers stopped short of announcing that they will fine Lachey, their best offensive lineman. But, said Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations, “we notified him we expected him to be here by Monday. You can read into that what you want.”

“We’ve thrown everything into Lachey’s lap,” Charger owner Alex Spanos said. “He has to make up his own mind.”

Added Ortmayer: “We want him to be here. We want him at left tackle. We don’t want to trade Jim Lachey.”

But the longer Lachey stays away, the greater the likelihood that his apparent unhappiness with the Chargers’ failure to build a winning program will force them to trade him.

“I don’t know,” Spanos said. “But I’ve always said if somebody wants to be traded, we’ll accommodate him.”

Tomczak said that if that happens, he hopes the trade will involve the Bears.

“We talk about a lot of things,” Tomczak said when asked about his friendship with Lachey and Lachey’s absence from the Chargers’ training camp at UC San Diego. “Jim’s taking a business stand and looking out for his best interests. He wants to get to a team that wins games and gets to the playoffs every year.”

Tomczak, a former teammate and roommate of Lachey’s at Ohio State, added: “I’d definitely pump the Bears up to see if they can strike a deal with him. He’s a heck of a player.”

Lachey, 25, reportedly informed the Chargers as early as last spring that there were six teams for which he wanted to play in 1988. The Chargers were not on the list.

Spanos confirmed Monday that the Bears had made an offer for Lachey as recently as two weeks ago. Bill Tobin, the Bears’ personnel boss, talked with Ortmayer about Lachey on Monday.

“There’s not a match there yet,” Tobin said Tuesday.

But Tobin said a deal with San Diego for Lachey involving draft picks was a possibility. The Bears have two first-round draft choices in 1989.

Historically, the Bears build through the draft, not trades. But, Tobin said, “he (Lachey) is an outstanding player, and there aren’t many outstanding players available for trade--people that are young, aggressive, productive and healthy.”

Lachey has started in 43 of 44 games for the Chargers since he came to them as a first-round draft choice in 1985. He played in his first Pro Bowl last winter. He is under contract through 1989 and has never complained about his salary. But he has business interests in Pittsburgh and has indicated that he would like to be closer to his Columbus home.

Both the Bears’ starting tackles--Jim Covert (back) and Keith Van Horne (shoulders)--are missing practice because of injuries. Neither played at 100% last year.

“The Chargers never told us he (Lachey) was available,” Tobin said. “We talked about, ‘What if?’ ”

The chances for a Bear-Charger deal took another turn Tuesday afternoon when Bear Coach Mike Ditka announced that free-agent wide receiver Willie Gault had asked to be traded to a Los Angeles team. Ditka said the Bears were trying to move Gault to the Raiders in exchange for draft picks.

Prospects for the Chargers offensive line without Lachey are suspect.

The immediate replacement for the absent Lachey at left tackle is Gary Kowalski. Coach Al Saunders says Kowalski is the team’s best pass blocker without Lachey in camp.

Kowalski would have opened camp at right tackle if Lachey had been on time. The right tackle now is David Richards, a fourth-round rookie from UCLA. Richards is 6-feet 4 1/2-inches tall and weighs 310 pounds.

“He (Richards) is certainly not a finished product,” Saunders said. “But he has the skills down the road.”

Another possibility at right tackle is Greg Feasel, a second-year player who is 6-7, 305.

And if Lachey winds up traded or sitting out the year?

“It’s not a comforting thought,” Saunders said. “But it hasn’t happened yet. The line without Jim Lachey wouldn’t be as good as it would be with him. It would be a combination of the guys we have.”

The fact that Lachey wants out of the organization is a public relations black eye.

Asked how long the standoff could last before it became counterproductive to the team, Ortmayer said, “It already is.”

Ortmayer said he has not talked to Lachey recently. And Spanos said he would not get involved directly with any talks involving Lachey. “That’s my policy,” Spanos said.

Charger Notes

Charger Arthur Cox (6-2, 277) may be the biggest tight end in captivity. “I don’t know about that,” Coach Al Saunders said. “But he’s had a few pizzas. Yet his weight is not flubber.” Cox started 10 games for the Falcons last year and is primarily a blocker. . . . Kellen Winslow, another Charger tight end, worked out after the morning practice by catching passes thrown by offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome. Winslow (knee) still hasn’t passed his physical, but Saunders expects him to be practicing with the team next week. . . . Jeff Jackson, a fourth-year inside linebacker from Auburn, provided the hit of the morning on running back Kenny Jackson during goal-line offense near the end of the first practice. Jackson started the three strike games last year and three more after that. . . . Former Aztec Duane Pettit, a guard-center, has caught Saunders’ eye. “He’s a long shot,” Saunders said. “But every day he makes it tougher for you not to look at him.” Pettit is a conversion project. He played defense during the strike last year. . . . Defensive coordinator Ron Lynn is the father of an 8-pound 15-ounce boy, Ryon James Lynn. . . . The Chargers released two kickers: Sam Flores from C.W. Post in New York and Ronnie Lewis from Louisiana State. . . . Running back Lynn Williams tightened up with cramps during the morning practice. Lineman Broderick Thompson suffered a pinched nerve during the same session.