Chargers’ Grossman Hurts Knee : Football: Defensive lineman hurt in scrimmage. Beathard imposes signing deadline for Richard.

The Chargers, while imposing a signing deadline on first-round pick safety Stanley Richard, suffered another defensive setback Wednesday night when Burt Grossman went down with a knee injury.

Grossman, who is being counted on heavily to fill the void left by holdout defensive lineman Lee Williams, injured his left knee in the Chargers’ evening practice at Mesa College.

Coach Dan Henning said he would not know the extent of Grossman’s injury until later today, but Grossman was unable to walk on his own after leaving the field.

“Somebody fell on it from the side,” Grossman said. “They’re going to X-ray it now.”

Grossman was asked if team officials had offered any guesses as to the specific nature of the injury, and with his characteristic humor intact, he said, “The only guess they’ve made so far is that I’m a faker.”

Grossman was able to walk off the field after being injured, but he said when he reached the sideline, “it buckled.”

Richard, meanwhile, was penciled into the starting lineup after minicamp and summer school, but he has been unable to reach an agreement with the Chargers.

However, General Manager Bobby Beathard said Wednesday night that he has advised Richard’s representative, Chris Knepp, that they have until Sunday night to sign a contract or the team’s offer will be reduced.

“I really don’t know what those guys are thinking about,” Richard said by telephone from Texas. “. . . I don’t think it’s going to come down to that.”

Knepp will attend a trial in Colorado Springs on Friday, but he told Beathard on Wednesday that he and Richard will come to San Diego on Saturday to work on an agreement.

“In the near future I think all this is going to come to an end,” Richard said. “I’ll be coming in sometime this weekend, and I’d like to see this thing finished.”

Last year, Beathard threatened to take money off the negotiating table while talking with veteran offensive linemen Broderick Thompson and David Richards, and both players responded by coming to terms.

Beathard also employed a similar tactic with first-round choice Junior Seau last season before the third exhibition game. Seau, however, went beyond the deadline and accepted a reduced offer to play in the final exhibition game.

“If they were offering something fair and were concerned about me, I’d probably be in camp right now,” Richard said. “I don’t think this is anything like what happened to their No. 1 pick (Seau) last year. I feel something will be done.”

Beathard and Henning said this week that Richard’s absence has jeopardized his opportunity to become the team’s starting safety. They have pointed to the development of Anthony Shelton, although Shelton remains on the sideline with a thigh bruise.

“I would like them to allow me to start from the bottom and work my way up,” Richard said. “I don’t expect to start. But if given the opportunity to show what I can do, I think I will eventually be starting.”

Richard said he eagerly awaits the opportunity to showcase his skills on the field.

“The Sheriff will be there somewhere on Saturday,” he said, referring to himself by his nickname. “I’m doing my part and staying in shape. But it’s tough. I really don’t like things getting messy and it seems like it has gotten that way.

“I’m just a young kid out of college, who is excited about doing a lot of things for the Chargers. I think I’m a pretty fair person and my attorney is the same way, so I think things will work out.”

While the Chargers work to add Richard to their roster, they have seen enough of 10th-round pick Roland Poles. The team is expected to announce today that they are putting the fullback on waivers. Poles has been bothered by a sore neck and has not impressed the coaching staff with his attitude.