Chargers Lack Room for Flutie : Receiver Waived; Two Free Agents Added

Numbers gave Darren Flutie the opportunity to play in the National Football League last season. But Tuesday, numbers sent him home.

Flutie, who earned a spot on the roster as a wide receiver last year because of impressive exhibition game statistics, was waived Tuesday as the Chargers did some last-minute maneuvering to set their roster for Sunday’s opener at the Raiders.

The Chargers signed Chris Gannon, a free agent defensive end acquired after being waived from New England, and Darryl Usher, a wide receiver cut by Cleveland. They are expected today to re-sign Chris Bahr, a veteran kicker cut Monday.

Bahr was waived for the short period to allow the Chargers to carry rookie quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver on the active roster for a day. He was then placed on injured reserve Tuesday, giving the Chargers the option to reactivate him in six weeks rather than losing him for the season. Tolliver broke his collarbone Friday in the Chargers’ 21-20 victory over Phoenix.

Also placed on injured reserve was tight end Andy Parker, who injured his knee in the Aug. 13 exhibition against Dallas.

“(Flutie) was a victim of the numbers,” Charger Coach Dan Henning said. “If he gets picked up, he’ll do well wherever he goes. Since he wasn’t in the top group (of wide receivers), we have to fill in as much as possible with special teams. Since (Gannon) will be carried and doesn’t actually have a position, we’re short on numbers.”

Gannon, a third-round draft pick from Southwestern Louisiana, will do the deep snapping in Sunday’s opener against the Raiders. That’s been a concern of Henning’s throughout training camp, and the problem was magnified Friday when the Chargers lost center/guard Dennis McKnight for the season because of a quadriceps injury.

Henning said Usher will contribute immediately on special teams but will need time to learn the system before he gets work at receiver. Usher caught Henning’s eye last year when Henning coached quarterbacks for the Washington Redskins.

“I would have liked to draft him at Washington,” Henning said. “We’ve seen film on him this summer. He has speed and he has quickness. I know that New England liked him and would have liked to have kept him.”

Defensive end Joe Phillips, who said Monday he has agreed to terms with the Chargers, will practice today, Henning said, but won’t likely play Sunday. He is expected to sign today.

The league has granted the Chargers a two-game exemption for Phillips, meaning he won’t count against the 47-man roster until the day of the third game, unless the Chargers choose to use him earlier.

“I think it would be prudent to utilize at least one game and evaluate it after this week,” Henning said.

Henning said he isn’t about to hand Phillips a starting position over players who participated in both mini-camp and training camp.

“I don’t think that’s quite right,” Henning said. “I don’t think the team would agree with that either.

“We’ve been playing good defense here this summer. We have players playing at positions (who have) worked together. I don’t know how anybody could ask me whether this guy could play without ever seeing him. I haven’t seen him with a football pad on yet. I’ve seen him in a sweat shirt and jeans.”

Charger Notes

Asked Tuesday if his team is ready to open the season, Coach Dan Henning responded: “I don’t have a choice.” . . . It’s no surprise, but Henning said Jim McMahon will be his starting quarterback against the Raiders . . . The Chargers haven’t assigned anyone to the six-player developmental squad yet. “It will be an ongoing process,” Henning said. “We’ll develop that as we go.”