Chargers Sign Raiders’ Parker, Rams’ Collins

The Chargers announced Friday the acquisition of two more unrestricted free agents, both from Southern California neighbors.

The signings of former Raider tight end Andy Parker, a San Dieguito High graduate, and former Ram linebacker Jim Collins gave the Chargers seven under the National Football League’s new free agent policy. The deadline for such signings is 9 o’clock tonight.

While losing Parker, the Raiders signed 31-year-old Bob Golic, a three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle for the Cleveland Browns. The Rams also lost former Charger tight end Eric Sievers, to New England.

Parker, 6-feet-5, 245 pounds, signed a two-year Charger contract that, with attainable incentives, reportedly will pay him $400,000 a year, a big increase over the $175,000 he made last season.

The Chargers, under new Coach Dan Henning, are expected to go to a double tight-end alignment, and Parker is expected to start.

A No. 5 pick from Utah in 1984, Parker played on special teams until Todd Christensen was hurt last season. Parker, 15 pounds heavier and a better blocker than Christensen, was expected to retain his starting job despite Christensen’s years of pass-receiving prowess.

Parker, 27, has just six catches in his NFL career, including four for 33 yards last season.

He attended San Dieguito after two years at Dana Hills High in Dana Point. At San Dieguito, he was first-team All-Palomar League and the team’s most valuable player in football and also participated in basketball, baseball and track. He was Utah’s leading receiver as a senior with 33 catches for 395 yards in 1983.

Collins, 30, appeared in just four games for the Rams last season after spending the first 12 weeks on injured reserve with a knee injury. Once perhaps the team’s top defensive player, Collins has been slowed in recent years by serious injuries. He missed all of 1986 with a neck injury and underwent arthroscopic surgery last summer to repair a chronically damaged right knee.

Collins, 6-2, 233 pounds, has no cartilage in the knee, but played well after returning to the lineup late last season. His best season was 1985, when he led the Rams in tackles with 140 and was named to the Pro Bowl. He has started 67 of 80 career games.

The Rams claimed Sievers on waivers from the Chargers last December and had plans for him as a blocking tight end this season. Sievers appeared on special teams in the Rams’ season-ending win over San Francisco.

The Golic story is a big one in Cleveland, where he was born and became a local star and community leader. An All-America linebacker at Notre Dame, he was a No. 2 pick of the New England Patriots in 1979 but was waived in 1982.

He was then picked up by the Browns, who converted him to nose tackle. Free-spirited and fun-loving, he gave new style to the position he picked up so quickly.

Said Golic: “A nose tackle is like a fire hydrant.”

And: “I’m 6-3 on Saturday nights, but 6-0 on Sunday nights.”

Golic is best known as a run defender, which will come in handy for the Raiders, whose rushing defense fell apart last season. Since waiving Reggie Kinlaw, a hero of the ’84 Super Bowl, they had tried the 6-5 Bill Pickel, a natural defensive tackle, at the nose, with progressively worse results. Last season, the Raiders largely abandoned their old base defense for a four-man line--at the order of Al Davis who wanted more pressure. Meanwhile, other players petitioned the coaches to bring back the 3-4, since it was the only run defense they knew how to play.

Said Golic: “With two great pass rushers, they need someone with a big butt in the middle to tie up the guard and the center and stop the run.”

The signing was precipitated by changes on the Raiders and the Browns. The new Raider defensive coordinator, Dave Adolph, comes from Cleveland. The new Browns’ head coach, Bud Carson, the old Jets’ defensive coordinator, plans to put in a four-man line.

Golic signed a two-year contract, which will pay him $600,000 and $650,000.

His welcome to the Raiders seems well on its way. While visiting the Raider facility, he stayed at the home of Howie Long.