PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : CHARGERS : Bieniemy Signs, Makes Impact in Debut

After being drafted by the Chargers in the second round, running back Eric Bieniemy received attention for his run-ins with the law.

All future run-ins, Bieniemy said, will come at the expense of those defenders on the football field who attempt to stop him.

At training camp Thursday, free-agent defensive back Kris McCall tried to put the brakes on Bieniemy, who had reached a contract agreement only hours earlier, and McCall was punished. Bieniemy sent the defender flying, and for effect, fired the football at him.

“You always got to establish that authority,” Bieniemy said.

Bieniemy has been projected to play an important role on special teams this season, but with the holdout of running back Marion Butts, his duties may change.

“I know he’s not here,” Bieniemy said. “I don’t see that big wide body in front of me. My situation is always the same; I’ve got to prove myself regardless of what happens.”

Bieniemy, who stands 5-feet-7, says he weighs 207 pounds.

Coach Dan Henning said he liked Bieniemy’s high-spirited debut. “He’s tough,” Henning said. “He mixed it up in there. I think they were welcoming him to the team.”

In addition to the signing of Bieniemy, the Chargers announced that they had reached an agreement with defensive lineman George Thornton, who was also selected in the second round.

The agent for guard Eric Moten, the player drafted in Round 2 after the Chargers traded away next year’s No. 1 pick for the opportunity to take him, said he can’t understand why the Chargers haven’t been more aggressive in negotiations.

“I don’t know why they’re dragging their feet,” George Kalafatis said. “I know the figures for Thornton and Bieniemy, and we’re right there, too.”

The team also continues to negotiate with the representive for first-round pick, Stanley Richard, and veteran free agents David Richards, Broderick Thompson and George Hinkle.