CHARGERS : O’Neal, Grossman Won’t Back Down

Linebacker Leslie O’Neal refused Friday to back down from comments that the Chargers would be better off with Lee Williams at defensive end instead of Burt Grossman.

“I’ve talked to a lot of guys in this league who watch him on film,” O’Neal said. “All they see him as is a big loudmouth. If people look at the films 10 years from now, they can see for themselves what he did.

“The bottom line is, ‘Who do people respect?’ I’ve earned the respect of the community. Has he?”

O’Neal said he’s not picking on Grossman, he simply wants what is best for the team.

“Everybody has tried to make this a personal vendetta against Burt,” O’Neal said. “I’m out to win. I feel we have a better chance to win with another person playing defensive end.”

Earlier this week, Williams, who was moved from defensive end to defensive tackle two years ago, said he never again wanted to play for the Chargers. Williams is not in training camp at UC San Diego.

O’Neal also responded to Grossman’s remarks about Junior Seau. Grossman said: “Maybe if Junior Seau played outside linebacker he’d do twice what Leslie does and Leslie wouldn’t look too good.”

“I’m the most competitive person on this team,” O’Neal said. “I’m out there every second working my butt off. But if guys come in here and outplay me, then they should play.”

Grossman said O’Neal’s statements Thursday had no effect on him or the team.

“We’ve said stuff about each other before,” Grossman said. “We don’t do it in the locker room or on the field. He didn’t take offense to what I said, I don’t take offense to what he said. It’s a unique situation between Leslie and me. It’s our nature to speak out.”

Seau said he didn’t see any validity to what O’Neal or Grossman said.

“They’re both lying to each other, because they’re both great players,” Seau said. “It could be a marketing stunt on their part. The real factor is whether we win.”

But O’Neal said his comments about Grossman were not for publicity’s sake.

“There is some feeling behind them,” he said. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.

Coach Dan Henning said he didn’t notice any effects of the verbal tussle.

“They were out here holding hands and playing footsie today,” Henning said. “If I think it becomes a problem, then I’ll handle it.”

Grossman said his war of words with O’Neal should not hurt their already cool relationship.

“We’re not friends, we’re associates,” Grossman said. “We don’t talk to each other at night before bed or anything.”

Henning said he met Thursday with holdout running back Marion Butts, but the coach said he would honor Butts’ request and not discuss details of their discussion.

Seau, who was a holdout last year, dominated in pass rushing drills and an 11-on-11 scrimmage at the end of the afternoon practice. He said he plans to make the coaches’ jobs a lot easier this year.

“I’m going to make sure I’m out on the field more this year,” he said.

Even if it’s at middle linebacker?

“I’m going to go out and hug the position,” he said. “This is school right now. I’m learning all I can. I’m going to show them that I’m a better middle linebacker than the guys out there.”

However, a return to outside linebacker, the position he played at USC, also would suit him. “We all see what I can do (at outside linebacker),” he said. “Nobody in this league can tell me I shouldn’t be out there. Outside linebacker is like riding a bike. Whenever they’re ready to let me loose, I’m in the starting gate.”

General Manager Bobby Beathard announced second-round draft choice Eric Moten, a guard out of Michigan State, has agreed to terms. Beathard said he expects to Moten to sign today.

Beathard also announced he is getting closer to signing No. 1 pick Stanley Richard, the only draft choice who hasn’t agreed to terms.

Second-round pick George Thornton, a defensive tackle from Alabama, signed Friday morning and practiced in the afternoon. Thornton’s signing put the Chargers two over the roster limit of 80, but the team was not forced to cut anyone because it received roster exemptions on Butts and Williams. The team will have to cut a player when Moten signs.

The Chargers will scrimmage the Rams at 2:30 p.m. today at UC San Diego. The scrimmage, which is free and open to the public, will be part of Charger Family Day. Players will be available for pictures and autographs after the scrimmage.

Some veterans, including quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver, will be held out of the scrimmage. But all rookies will participate, including Thornton.

Henning said each team will run 60 plays. Bob Gagliano and John Friesz will split the quarterback duties.

Before the scrimmage, the Rams and Chargers will stage seven-on-seven drills in which Tolliver is expected to participate.