PRO FOOTBALL REPORT / WEEKDAY UPDATE : CHARGERS : Butts, Bernstine Plan to Play

Running backs Marion Butts (thigh) and Rod Bernstine (hamstring) didn’t practice Friday to rest their injuries. They’re both planning to play Sunday against the Denver Broncos at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. Coach Dan Henning is making alternate plans in case they can’t.

“If Marion and Bernstine can’t go then Ronnie (Harmon) will go,” Henning said. “And Darrin (Nelson) will get more work.”

Bernstine and Butts gave no indication that would be necessary.

“I’ll be there,” said Bernstine, who suffered his injury in practice Thursday. “I’ll play.”

And Butts?

“Oh yeah,” he said. “I’ll play. It feels a lot better.”

Harmon is a versatile player who is both a breakaway threat and a good receiver, but, at 200 pounds, he is perhaps less durable than Butts (248) and Bernstine (238).

“Ronnie will do some things just as well or better, and he gives you a little bit different kind of threat,” Henning said. “The big problem with running in this league and having to carry the ball 20 or 25 times is the pounding that you take. He’s just not anywhere near as big as the other two.”

That doesn’t concern Harmon.

“If you look around the league there aren’t a lot of big, big backs,” he said.

To accommodate the injury to his foot and big toe, Denver quarterback John Elway will wear a size 12 high-top shoe on his left foot and the regular size 11 low-cut shoe on his right foot Sunday.

“I’m going to see how funny I can look,” said Elway, who is still listed as questionable for the game.

His big shoe has been specially equipped with a plastic shield that will be taped to the outer tip. Elway, who will wear a splint to protect his big toe, isn’t overly concerned with the possibility that his mobility will be reduced.

“It would lower my 40-yard (dash) speed from a 5.2 to a 5.5,” he said. “I don’t know if I can out run (Charger linebacker) Leslie O’Neal even when I’m 100 percent.”

Denver Coach Dan Reeves was encouraged by Elway’s practice performance.

“I thought he looked real good,” Reeves said. “It’s the best he’s looked (this week). He moved around and did everything. He even took off and ran a couple of times.”

Henning told the Charger Backers luncheon crowd that wide receiver Anthony Miller would be used in emergency situations at safety if there were enough injuries to the secondary. That isn’t likely to happen Sunday, because Henning said the three defensive backs listed on the injury report should be healthy to play.

Strong safety Martin Bayless (calf) and cornerback Gill Byrd (ankle) are listed as questionable, safety Vencie Glenn (thigh) is doubtful. Said Glenn: “I feel pretty good. I think I’m about 80 to 85%. I’ll be out there. I’m not missing this one.”

The Broncos placed running Steve Sewell (shoulder) on injured reserve Friday, and activated back up tight end Chris Verhulst. Reeves said running back Sammy Winder (foot) would not play. . . . As a reward for their consistent play, the Charger offensive line was transported to practice in a limo Friday. And tackle Eric Floyd enjoyed it thoroughly. “Yeah,” he said. “We need to do that more often. It was the first time I’ve ever been in one.” . . . Although defensive end Burt Grossman acknowledged that it was only a joke that he was listed on the team’s injury report with a fingernail injury Wednesday, he remained on the injury list Friday. The same report was sent to the Broncos, however his name was omitted from the list distributed to the league.