Chargers Sign Malone, but What of the Others?
Stop the presses! The Chargers signed a player Friday.
On second thought, let the presses roll. The player the Chargers signed was quarterback Mark Malone, the lowest-rated quarterback in the AFC the past two years.
It’s not that Malone, 30, isn’t a talented athlete. He was a high school All-American javelin thrower at El Cajon Valley High School. And he once caught a 90-yard touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw while filling in at wide receiver for the Steelers. And it’s not that Malone lacks confidence in his own abilities.
It’s just that Malone’s career at quarterback has been consistently inconsistent. And late last year even Malone admitted, moments after completing 17 of 24 passes in a 20-14 victory over Pittsburgh, “I don’t think I’m the quarterback of the future here.”
But he’s the incumbent. And the longer rookie Billy Joe Tolliver remains unsigned, the more likely Coach Dan Henning will be to keep Malone as his starter for the regular-season opener Sept. 10 against the Raiders.
“I think it’s great that Billy Joe’s been getting all the attention,” Malone said. “The more you guys (the media) focus on his legend, the easier it makes it for me to concentrate on my game. He is talented and has a great arm. But he’s a rookie, and he has a lot to learn.”
Malone’s contract was news because it was the first Charger signing of any significance since the end of the 1988 season. The Chargers still haven’t signed any of their nine selections from last spring’s college draft, although two more agreed to terms Friday: Nebraska’s Dana Brinson, an eighth-round wide receiver/punt returner, and Washington’s Ricky Andrews, a 10th-round linebacker. Florida State’s Marion Butts, a seventh-round running back from Florida State, reached agreement Thursday.
The list of unsigned veterans still includes Gary Anderson and Jamie Holland, their leading rusher and leading pass receiver last year.
Any of the rookies who sign today will join an assortment of free agents and selected veterans, Malone included, for Sunday drills. The remainder of the signed veterans will report late next week.
The dollar size of Malone’s contract was not announced, but Malone confirmed that it is for one year. He said he was happy with the amount. But, he added, “there should be plenty of money left for the other guys.”
Anderson’s agent, Ralph Cindrich of Pittsburgh, said he received an offer from the Chargers last week. And, he said Friday, he was in the process of sending the Chargers a counter-proposal. Anderson’s base salary in 1988 was $400,000.
Cindrich was noncommittal when asked to characterize negotiations. “There’s probably still enough time (to get Anderson into camp on time),” he said. “But at this stage it’s hard to put a timetable on it.” Anderson, 28, had his best season in 1988, rushing for 1,119 yards (387 of them in the last two games).
It was unlikely that any of the Chargers’ top three draft picks--first-rounder Burt Grossman and second-rounders Courtney Hall and Billy Joe Tolliver--would report today.
Grossman is caught in a battle between management and agents that stems from the price the Cowboys paid for quarterback Troy Aikman, the first pick in the draft, and the price Indianapolis paid for wide receiver Andre Rison, the 22nd pick.
Aikman got $11.037 million over six years from the Cowboys. The Colts signed Rison for $2.657 million over five years. The owners are appalled by the size of both contracts. The agents want their players to be paid on a comparative scale somewhere between Aikman and Rison. Grossman was the eighth pick in the first round.
“There’s nothing I can talk about,” Richard Woods, Grossman’s agent, said Friday when asked about the negotiations.
Did that mean the two sides were close?
“I have nothing to say,” Woods said.
Did that mean the two sides were far apart?
“I can’t say anything,” Woods said.
Charger Notes
The Chargers are still waiting to hear from the NFL on the league’s investigation into a series of drug-related arrests of linebacker Chip Banks in Atlanta over the past year. The question is whether the NFL will suspend Banks. “It is still under review,” league spokesman Dick Maxwell said Friday. Even if the NFL clears Banks, it’s not a sure thing the Chargers will allow him to play for them in 1989. Charger owner Alex Spanos has been an outspoken critic of NFL players with drug problems. Banks, 29 and a former Pro Bowl player, sat out last season in a contract dispute. Banks was seen in San Diego last Friday night. Steve Ortmayer, the Chargers’ director of football operations, said Banks’ appearance was not at the Chargers’ behest.
DAVE DISTEL
Is Billy Joe Tolliver that good, or does he just look good when next to the other Charger quarterback prospects? Page 13A.