Charger Notebook : Banks Ignores Ultimatum, Stays Out of Camp

Chip Banks, the Chargers’ free-agent holdout linebacker, did not report to training camp Thursday. So the Chargers, as they promised Monday, withdrew their five-year, $4.8-million contract offer.

It was clear from Banks’ reaction to the ultimatum earlier this week that nobody would force him to do anything against his will. And it has been clear since tackle Jim Lachey compelled the Chargers to make a move they didn’t want to make (trading him to the Raiders) that they have traded their last unhappy player this season.

“We’ve very disappointed that Chip hasn’t showed up,” said Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations.

Ortmayer said he spoke to Charger owner Alex Spanos about Banks before the team’s afternoon practice. And, he added, “it’s our contention that we very much want Chip here. We’ve wanted him here all along. At this point, he has chosen not to be here.

“I would reiterate that if Chip Banks plays this year, it will be as a San Diego Charger. A trade is not a possibility. I understand he may have some problems. But he has not indicated anything about retirement.”

Ortmayer refused to elaborate on what those problems might be. In fact, he refused to answer any further questions about the Banks situation.

“Again,” Ortmayer said, finishing his statement, “we want him here. The offer is obviously no longer on the table. We’ll go from here.”

Ortmayer had little to report on the other three Charger free-agent holdouts--running back Curtis Adams and defensive linemen Joe Phillips and Lee Williams.

Asked why the Chargers have withdrawn their contract offer to Banks and not to Adams, Ortmayer said: “We just haven’t spoken about Curtis. Curtis understands what the circumstances are and the situation is.”

Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow practiced in pads for the first time. Saunders said he hopes Winslow will be able to play in the third exhibition game Aug. 20 at home against the 49ers. He will not play against the Rams Saturday night in Anaheim.

“He’s played a few games in his career, and I’m sure he knows how to handle the preseason situation.” said Saunders. “He’s like anybody else. The guy needs work. A guy needs work to be ready to go at the tempo and speed that you’re gonna get into in the regular season.

“If he can play in the 49ers game, that would be great. But he’s got to play a significant amount in the last game (Aug. 26 against the Rams) to be ready to go.”

The Chargers are still excited about the back-to-back sacks their defense scored on the Dallas Cowboys’ first unit in Saturday night’s exhibition opener.

The first one was on a safety blitz by Vencie Glenn. It moved the Cowboys back from the Dallas 11 to the 20. Most encouraging was the fact that a Cowboy running back picked Glenn up on the play, but Glenn fought through the block.

On the next play, outside linebacker Billy Ray Smith threw Dallas quarterback Steve Pelluer for a 10-yard loss.

Smith got his sack on what the Chargers call a “hug-up” coverage. Smith has an option on the play to either drop back and wait to cover the running back as he comes to him or to go up and meet the back.

“If you do it right, the back man will believe you’re blitzing,” Smith said. “He’ll step up and try to pick you up, and that way, you cover him. But the guy missed me so bad that I thought he’d gone out of the backfield and was just setting me up. Actually he just missed me and fell down. That gave me a clean shot at Pelluer.”