Bears’ Roland Will Talk to the Chargers

The Chargers’ lengthy, meticulous search for a coach widened Monday with the confirmation they will interview Chicago Bears running backs coach Johnny Roland, probably today.

As late as this weekend, the Chargers’ list of candidates to succeed the fired Al Saunders appeared to have narrowed to three choices--Washington Redskins assistant Dan Henning, Charger defensive coordinator Ron Lynn and former Illinois and California Coach Mike White.

But Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations, said Monday, “We haven’t structured anything around just three candidates.”

Roland, 45, is a former Pro Bowl running back. If he becomes the Chargers’ coach, he will be the first black to hold a head coaching position in the National Football League since Fritz Pollard ran the Hammond (Ind.) Pros for 3 seasons in the mid-1920s.

Roland joined the Chicago staff in 1983. The Bears rushed for more yards than any other NFL team in 1984, ’85 and ’86. They slipped to 13th in 1987 but bounced back to third in rushing offense in 1988.

Roland was in Hawaii last week assisting Chicago Coach Mike Ditka at the Pro Bowl.

Meanwhile, Henning has returned to Washington after meeting with Ortmayer and Charger owner Alex Spanos in Monterey late last week. White interviewed with Ortmayer in San Diego over the weekend.

Ortmayer characterized his visit with White as “a good meeting. He continues to be a strong candidate.”

Ortmayer has also been busy preparing a list of 37 Chargers to be protected from free agency. All 28 teams will submit their lists Wednesday to the NFL office in a league-wide attempt to avoid antitrust penalties that could stem from a lawsuit filed by the NFL Players Assn.

“This (list) is a tremendous problem,” Ortmayer said. “We’re a young team, still developing a lot of players, and determining exactly what direction we’re headed in is important.”

Ortmayer said the Chargers wouldn’t rule out the possibility of signing unprotected players from other teams. “We will evaluate those lists just as hard as we evaluate the draft,” he said.

There are currently 62 Chargers on the roster, injured reserve or other lists that would make them eligible for free agency if left unprotected. Ortmayer said the Chargers have reduced that number to 42 players. He will have to reduce it by 5 more by Wednesday.