Chargers Trade Mojsiejenko, Put McCallum on Hold
After the deals and cuts were complete at Charger camp Tuesday, punter Ralf Mojsiejenko was making plans to move his furniture across country, and running back Napoleon McCallum was headed for the basketball court.
Mojsiejenko, who played in the Pro Bowl in 1987, was traded to the Washington Redskins for what is believed to be a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft.
“No higher than fifth,” said Charley Casserly, the Redskins’ general manager.
McCallum, acquired from the Raiders last year as part of the now-infamous trade of All-Pro offensive lineman Jim Lachey, was placed on the “reserve/military” list. That means he is no longer on the Chargers’ roster and can’t practice but can be activated at any time. He said he plans to start playing more basketball to help improve his moves and jumping ability.
Reminded that the Chargers now have absolutely nothing to show for the trade of Lachey--offensive lineman John Clay, also obtained in the deal, was waived earlier--Steve Ortmayer, the Charger director of football operations, smiled ever so slightly and said, “That’s too bad. It didn’t work out for us, did it?”
The Chargers also waived kicker Steve DeLine, who replaced Vince Abbott in the final five games of last season after Abbott was sidelined with a knee injury. That leaves only 14-year veteran Chris Bahr, whom Henning said has proven to be more accurate inside of 40 yards than DeLine or Abbott.
Ortmayer said he is comfortable having Bahr as his starter for the regular season. But when asked if the Chargers would consider other available kickers, he replied: “There’s always that possibility.”
No one was more surprised with Tuesday’s trade then Mojsiejenko, who will be replaced by Lewis Colbert, a two-year veteran who didn’t play last season after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons during the final roster cuts.
“Shoot, I was surprised,” said Mojsiejenko, who also held for place kicks and was a capable kickoff man. “I haven’t had the greatest of training camps. I don’t think either of the punters did. But I’ve never set the world on fire in training camp because I’ve always tried to get geared up for the season.”
Certainly, there were questions to be answered. First, why trade a punter whose average during camp has been nearly three yards longer?
Ortmayer answered that Colbert’s style--angling the ball away from the returner as opposed to long, high kicks--fits in better with the Chargers’ scheme.
“I feel that what our special teams coach (Joe Madden) is looking for is a different style punter,” Ortmayer said. “We feel he will give our defense a chance to operate many times inside our opponent’s 15-yard line.”
There is also the matter about Mojsiejenko’s no-show at mini-camp this past spring. He contended the Chargers had promised him a new contract. The Chargers disagreed. Mojsiejenko was fined $2,500 and wound up reporting with the rest of the veterans in July.
Any chance that had anything to do with the Chargers’ decision?
“Absolutely zero,” Ortmayer said.
“I’m sure it does,” Mojsiejenko said, “but I go with the thought process that the good Lord has a reason for everything he does with me, and right now he doesn’t want me in this town anymore.”
Charger Coach Dan Henning said: “There is no hassle. He has a contract.
“The way we’re going to work our punting game, we feel Colbert fits better. Probably Mojsiejenko would gross more (yardage). I don’t think there will be an appreciable difference in the net.”
Also figuring into this deal was Wayne Sevier, former special teams coordinator for the Chargers who is now with the Redskins. According to Henning, Sevier wanted Mojsiejenko to be his punter; the Redskins have had a rocky preseason at that position. Mojsiejenko, in turn, has a certain affection for Sevier.
“Wayne wants me out there and, shoot, that’s the coach I want to play for,” he said.
Mojsiejenko averaged 44.1 yards per punt last year, 42.9 the previous season. His successor, Colbert, averaged 40.7 yards a punt in 1986 with the Kansas City Chiefs before missing all but two games of 1987 with a back injury. He says he’s equal to this job.
“I think I’ve only had one ball returned this training camp,” he said. “(The Chargers) wanted to try to limit the returns. I hope I can do a lot of the things (Mojsiejenko) did in the past.”
McCallum wasn’t really aware of his status Tuesday afternoon. He thought he was cut, as in “See you later.”
Truth is, his status on the reserve/military list isn’t a whole lot different.
But what this does--and perhaps that’s why the Chargers did it--is give McCallum some incentive to come back with a bit more of the quickness that made him so successful at the Naval Academy, where he finished as the NCAA’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards (7,172).
McCallum’s preseason statistics this year pale by comparison. He gained 18 yards in six carries and caught two passes for eight yards. His mistake, as he sees it, was in his method of preparation.
“I didn’t do something I think I should have done, and that’s work on quickness,” he said. “I bulked, up and I lifted a lot of weights. They wanted me to shine, to be a Marcus Allen--someone just to dazzle them. I didn’t do that.”
And so?
“I’m going to go play some basketball,” he said, “and jump around.”
All was not lost. Henning thinks there’s a chance McCallum can still be a Charger.
“I think this camp was good for him,” he said, “I think with some more work he might be able to come back.”
Staff writer Brian Hewitt also contributed to this story.
Charger Notes
Other cuts Tuesday included H-back Ronnie Williams, wide receiver Brian Bedford, tight end Pat Davis and free safety Michael Brooks. Quarterback Mark Vlasic and guard Larry Williams have been put on the reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list, which means they can practice with the team but cannot be activated until the sixth game of the season. . . . Ortmayer said there are no new developments in negotiations with holdouts Gary Anderson or Joe Phillips.