Chargers, Top Draft Pick Grossman Finally Agree on Contract Terms

The Chargers’ No. 1 draft pick, defensive end Burt Grossman of Pittsburgh, has agreed to terms and will sign a contract today, the Chargers announced Thursday.

Steve Ortmayer, the Chargers’ director of football operations, said he negotiated with Grossman’s agent, Robert Jackson, for two hours Wednesday before the Chargers played the 49ers. They agreed to wrap things up Thursday morning.

Grossman will receive a five-year contract worth an estimated $3 million. His attorney will be in San Diego today to review the contract before Grossman signs. Grossman, the eighth pick of the draft, was scheduled to arrive in San Diego Thursday night.

When the Chargers drafted him, Charger Coach Dan Henning called Grossman the best down pass-rusher in the draft. He has tested with a 4.65-second 40-yard dash and 30-inch vertical leap.

Negotiations for Grossman’s contract intensified last Friday after the Steelers signed Tim Worley, the draft’s seventh pick. Ortmayer hedged when asked if Grossman’s commitment was directly related to Worley’s signing.

“The climate became more set and more consistent,” Ortmayer said. “It just became apparent where everybody needed to be.”

Ortmayer said Grossman, 6-feet-6 and 265 pounds, worked extremely hard during the Chargers’ eight-week mini-camp and is familiar with the system. Whether he is ready to start for the regular season opener Sept. 10 against the Raiders will depend on his progress during the next two weeks.

“I’m sure he wants to,” said Gunther Cunningham, the Chargers’ defensive line coach. “It’s going to be a big load on him, mentally and emotionally. But the reason we picked him is we knew he had something rare both mentally and physically.”

Cunningham said Grossman will need to do extra weight-lifting and technique work to catch up to his teammates.

With Grossman around, newly acquired quarterback Jim McMahon certainly can’t claim sole rights to the outspoken player department. Grossman is known for speaking his mind.

And he has never lacked confidence. Cunningham will testify to that.

“I’m sure he’ll be ready for the challenge,” Cunningham said. “I talked to him early (Thursday) morning, and he sounded like he hadn’t lost a step.

“He’s not a humble guy.”

His confidence and athletic ability will have to offset the significant amount of training he has missed, including 18 days of two-a-day workouts, which are scheduled to end Monday. Ron Lynn, the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, said Grossman may be able to go full speed the first day or two of practice but could be slowed by the “bumps and bruises’ common early in camp.

“The longer (the holdout) goes, the more concern you have for that part of the thing rather than the cardiovascular conditioning and strength conditioning,” Lynn said. “I’m sure he’s fine on those things.”

Another factor in Grossman’s progress will be his ability to coordinate with the other players on the defensive line.

“A lot of what we end up doing, both pass and run, depends on having some form of timing down with the guy you’re playing next to,” Lynn said. “If he doesn’t get enough repetitions in a lot of those things, then that’s going to deter his ability to be as functional as we’d like him to be when we get to Sept. 10.”

Grossman’s signing will leave the Chargers with two holdouts, running back Gary Anderson and defensive end Joe Phillips. Anderson was the team’s MVP last season, and Phillips started all 16 games and established himself as a strong pass rusher.

Ortmayer said the Chargers made a strong counter offer Thursday to a June 14 proposal made by Anderson’s agent, Peter Johnson.

“Obviously, with each passing day, we feel that it’s much more of a problem,” Ortmayer said. “It places us in a difficult position.”

According to Ortmayer, it will be Phillips’ responsibility to contact the Chargers regarding further negotiations.

“The ball,” he said, “is in Phillips’ court.”

Henning said he has been impressed by McMahon’s ability to learn the Chargers’ offense in the few days he has been with the team.

“I was amazed at Jimmy,” Henning said. “We don’t even call defenses the same way (as Chicago). It boggles me because I’m not sure that many guys I’ve been around can do that.”

The marginal strength of McMahon’s arm, which doesn’t appear to fit an offense tailored for a strong-armed quarterback, doesn’t concern Henning.

“I’ve seen him out in practice for two days,” Henning said. “I don’t have any question about (him having) good enough arm strength to get the job done in what we do.”

Rookie quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver may be his own worst critic. After completing nine of 15 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns Wednesday against the 49ers, Tolliver took a few shots at himself.

“I was terrible at first,” he said. “I wanted to do so well against the world champions, and I more or less stunk it up. I got a little big-eyed. I was trying to make the plays on my own, and in this league you just can’t do that.

“Coach Henning reminded me that this wasn’t Boyd High School, and settled me down a little.”

Of course, Tolliver wasn’t competing with anyone named McMahon at Boyd, his high school in Texas.

“I’m still a long ways from being a quality NFL quarterback. Jim McMahon is a quality quarterback. He’s got a Super Bowl ring.”

Admitting his play had only been so-so before Wednesday night, receiver Darren Flutie may have improved his stock against the 49ers with five receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Flutie was aware his time was running out.

“I needed a big game,” he said. “I did some things to be noticed. I can only hope that things will work out.”

Henning wouldn’t offer any clues as to Flutie’s chances. When asked what Flutie has to do to make the team, Henning said: “He needs to survive the next two cuts.”

Charger Notes

Billy Ray Smith, David Richards and Marion Butts all sustained slight knee strains during Wednesday’s game. Inside linebacker Jim Collins received stitches for a cut in his mouth. . . . The Chargers have to trim their roster from 80 players to 60 by Tuesday, and Coach Dan Henning said the earliest cuts would come Saturday.