CHARGER NOTEBOOK : Injury to Miller’s Knee Taints Ross’ First Practice

It was Bobby Ross’ first practice as Charger coach, but before anyone could wish Dan Henning’s successor “good luck” Thursday, trainers were wheeling wide receiver Anthony Miller from the field with a knee injury.

“He might have a torn cartilage,” Ross said after Miller had been examined by Dr. Gary Losse, the team’s physician. “They are going to do a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) on it, and if it is a torn cartilage we’ll go ahead and get it taken care of right away.

“It would be arthroscopic (surgery); it’s not serious usually. . . . My own guess is that it would be three weeks before he could return. I’m not worried about this as far as a major thing. A cartilage anymore is a simple thing. If it were a ligament, that would be something we would have to worry about.”

Miller was on crutches after practice and was unavailable for comment after having his knee examined.

Miller, the Chargers’ resident game-breaker, has been working out on a voluntary basis the past month to improve his game. While running pass routes in Thursday’s first of two mini-camp practices, he leaped into the air for a ball while being hounded by cornerback Sean Vanhorse.

“He dropped the ball,” Ross said. “We have really been trying to get everybody to stay on the ground when they catch the ball. And he jumped.

“I don’t know how it happened. In looking at the play, it didn’t twist or do anything of that nature. It just happened.”

Ross also said the work of receiver Sean Jefferson was eye-catching and that Yancey Thigpen earned “the practice ball of the day” for his leaping catch in the afternoon workout.

“He doesn’t get a ball,” Ross said. “He just gets my personal recognition.”

Ross walked from the team’s practice facility across a crowded San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium parking lot before the Padres’ home opener, and went unrecognized.

“No one knew me,” Ross said with a grin. “That’s good. I like that.”

Wait until September.

Wide receiver Nate Lewis, who has been working overtime on his pass-catching skills, put on a show in the morning practice.

Lewis beat defensive backs Donald Frank and Tony Blaylock deep and made several strong moves over the middle against tight coverage. In the afternoon, however, he dropped a pair of passes.

Darren Carrington, taking advantage of Delton Hall’s mending knee and Martin Bayless’ departure, caught the new coaching staff’s attention at strong safety with a pair of interceptions.

Linebacker Junior Seau, who complained about his assignment inside two years ago, spent much of Thursday working outside on the right side.

The Chargers are shifting from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3, and will employ Seau as an outside linebacker in most situations. Seau, however, will have to be convinced.

“I hear a lot of things being said about me moving outside,” Seau said, “but I’m not going to go with that until the season rolls around and I’m definitely there. Right now I’m just a linebacker.”

Nose tackle Joe Phillips, offensive tackle Broderick Thompson, linebacker Leslie O’Neal, defensive lineman Terry Price and five players on loan to the World League, were the only ones not present for on-field duties.

Phillips, who underwent sinus surgery recently, attended all the team meetings but will not work out. Price will skip mini-camp to attend classes at Texas A&M.; Thompson and O’Neal remain unsigned, and are not obliged to be here.

Quarterback Bob Gagliano (strained stomach muscle), cornerback Gill Byrd (sore heel), safety Delton Hall (knee), deep snapper Sam Anno (knee), running back Chris Samuels (broken leg) and punter John Kidd (shoulder) remain limited in workouts due to injury.

The Chargers added Thomas Bolyard, a free agent quarterback/punter from Indiana to their roster because of the injuries to Gagliano and Kidd. His stay on the team’s roster is expected to be a short one.