Butts is Cleared to Face Seahawks

The Chargers were relieved to learn Tuesday that their offense--namely running back Marion Butts--has not suffered serious knee damage and will play against the Seahawks Sunday night.

“All you need is that little partial tear, or anything like that, and wow, then what?” General Manager Bobby Beathard said. “It was the way he had gotten hit in Kansas City, his knee had swollen, and then they wanted to take X-rays and all that. That’s when I wondered, ‘Is this serious?’

“But they said today everything was great, the X-rays were negative and the swelling was down. That was good news.”

Butts is the NFL’s No. 2 rusher with 867 yards. He is behind Buffalo’s Thurman Thomas, who has 900 yards. He has been hampered, however, by a thigh bruise he received Oct. 21 against the Raiders.

“He was not 100% in the last game,” said Ted Tollner, assistant head coach. “He played with great courage, and at times, the lack of burst was because he was hurt. But we think he will be fine now for Sunday.”

However, Tollner said he did not expect running back Rod Bernstine to play, and now there is increasing concern that his lingering hamstring injury may force the team to consider placing him on injured reserve.

“He went in and he wasn’t ready to play,” Tollner said. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen there. I don’t believe he’ll be able to play this week either, but I don’t know the update there.”

The club is expected to place special teams captain, linebacker Richard Brown, on injured reserve today with a hamstring injury, and then sign running back Joe Mickles, who arrived Tuesday.

Mickles, who was released by the Chargers during the preseason, turned down an opportunity last week to join Tampa Bay when advised he might be re-signed by San Diego. He had been signed as Plan B free agent this past offseason after the Redskins left him unprotected.

“I’m sure we’re going to get Mickles done,” Beathard said. “He gives us a good special teams guy. We’d like to keep Richard, but he just can’t run down the field on kickoffs. He’s really hurting, and he’s the type of kid who just won’t come out. But it looks like we’ll have to make the move.”

Mickles, 5-10, 221 pounds, also provides the team with insurance at running back, should Bernstine be placed on injured reserve or Butts be bothered by his knee.

The Chargers brought Antonio Goss, former San Francisco linebacker, to town Tuesday and may add him to the 47-man roster if the injury report on Bernstine, defensive lineman Gerald Robinson (leg) or linebacker Cedric Figaro (hamstring) is unfavorable today.

Bernstine, who has rushed for 399 yards on 82 carries, suffered a knee injury last year. Club officials became irritated when he failed to clear himself for duty, but he insisted his knee was not right, preventing him from running.

He later underwent surgery and was placed on injured reserve. While saddled with the reputation of not being very tough, he has been one of team’s best second-effort performers on the field.

In an unrelated matter, rookie linebacker Jeff Mills, who has been on injured reserve since Oct. 27 with a hamstring injury, was suspended for a week without pay for conduct detrimental to the team.

Mills, the team’s third-round draft pick, has been troubled by financial problems relating to agents. He missed team meetings and practice Friday and has missed appointments with club officials. He has been told to stay away from San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium until after the game with the Seahawks.

“We drafted him to play football and he doesn’t seem to understand his role,” Beathard said. “He’s hit me with that several times. You know, why isn’t he playing?

“I’m not sure he understands you have to earn a position on the team. You don’t come because you were good at Nebraska, you have to pay your dues by playing special teams, and he was a good special teams player. But he’s playing Leslie O’Neal’s position, and he’s got a pretty good player in front of him.”