Chargers, Butts Maintain Their Stances

The attorney for Marion Butts said Sunday his client was awaiting a call to meet with the Chargers at training camp today, but said it still would take more money to get the running back to report on time.

“If there is a meeting, it will be to talk and see if there is any hope for a renegotiated contract--to the point--to get more money,” said George Schultz, who along with Mike Merkow, represents Butts. “If there is nothing more to say than what’s been in the newspaper, then there’s nothing else to talk about.

“If they don’t renegotiate then he doesn’t show up. It’s a simple proposition.”

General Manager Bobby Beathard said he would meet with Merkow and Butts today, but money will not be discussed.

Butts is under contract to the Chargers for the next three years, but said recently he would not report to training camp unless Beathard made good on a promise to rework his contract.

Beathard said he made no such promise, and said Butts would be fined $1,500 a day, beginning Wednesday, if he failed to report to camp.

“We’re meeting to clear the air on this promise stuff,” Beathard said. “I just want to get it straight so Marion knows that. There’s nothing to talk about as far as money. If they’re coming about there’s no reason to come.”

Butts has been available for comment only through his representatives. He has not responded to Coach Dan Henning’s messages and has changed his telephone number.

“If Bobby wants to talk to Marion, he can,” Schultz said. “We just asked to be there, too.”

The Chargers will conduct their first training camp practice today at 9 a.m., but will do so without several draft selections.

Beathard said the club had not come to terms with seven of the team’s 15 draft selections. However, fifth-round picks’ Floyd Fields (safety) and Duane Young (tight end) attended last night’s team meetings and are expected to sign in time for today’s practices.

Beathard said he anticipated a speedy resolve to the remainder of the negotiations.

“I certainly wouldn’t think any of these guys are going to be very late,” Beathard said. “I get the feeling we’re too close to have an extended delay.

Last year’s first-round pick, linebacker Junior Seau, missed training camp because of contract negotiations. He struggled early in competition.

Stanley Richard, the Chargers’ 1991 first-round pick, has been projected to start at free safety. Richard remains unsigned, but Beathard said Richard was presently driving to San Diego.

“I don’t think it will be a repeat of last year--not anywhere close to that,” Beathard said. “We’d like to have them all in here. We saw what happened last year when a guy doesn’t come in and how much he loses that first year. And how much the team loses by not having him here.”

In addition to Richard, the team has yet to come to terms with second-round picks’ George Thornton (defensive lineman), Eric Bieniemy (running back) and Eric Moten (offensive guard) and fourth-round choice Yancey Thigpen (receiver).

Beathard announced that veteran tight end Terry Orr had signed a contract and H-back Steve Hendrickson had agreed to terms.

Wide receiver David Jones, a seventh-rounder, signed a contract on Saturday, but Sunday he failed the team’s physical because of a sore tendon in his thigh.

The Chargers designated Jones as “physically unable to perform,” thereby making him ineligible to practice or play with the team until after the sixth game of the regular season.

Darryl Jenkins, a free agent offensive tackle, also failed his physical because of a knee injury.