Chargers Change Ways, Sign Mims

Sit down, you are not going to believe this one.

Here it is, the first week of June--training camp starts July 15--and the Chargers announce they have signed Chris Mims, a defensive end and first-round draft choice, to a four-year deal that will average an estimated $700,000 a season.

First-year Coach Bobby Ross probably figures this is the way they do business in the NFL.

Tell that to Dan Henning. During his three-year tenure as Chargers coach he never opened training camp with the team’s top pick in uniform. Two years ago linebacker Junior Seau arrived just in time for the team’s final exhibition game.

Tell that to Al Saunders, who had to wait on Rod Bernstine. Tell that to Don Coryell, who is still waiting to watch Mossy Cade.

Only one of the team’s nine previous first-round selections--wide receiver Anthony Miller in 1988--has signed in time to make the opening of training camp.

“You see what has happened the last two years that I’ve been here,” said General Manager Bobby Beathard, “and we haven’t been successful in signing our first choices in time for training camp and each time it hurt.

“What ends up then is you have a player learning at the team’s expense. Both Junior Seau and Stanley Richard are excellent football players now, but it took each one of them the first year to start coming around. This gives a first-round pick a good chance of making a big contribution.”

Mims, a 6-foot-5, 274-pound defensive end from Tennessee, was the 23rd player selected in the April 26 NFL draft. The Dallas Cowboys selected linebacker Robert Jones with the next choice and immediately signed him to a four-year contract that will pay him an average of $737,500 a season.

Jones’ contract gave the Chargers and Mims’ agent, Harold Daniels, a starting point in negotiations. Mims took it from there.

“We talked about it before I had even got drafted and I told my agent, ‘Get me in there early,’ ” Mims said. “I’ve heard stories about guys getting in late so I’ve been staying on my agent’s back. We talked about it every day.”

Mims already has purchased a home in Scripps Ranch for his mother, and he has been reporting for duty at the stadium in a new Mercedes. But he remains unimpressed by his sudden wealth.

“It’s just another day to me,” Mims said.

The Chargers, however, are excited. They were eager to secure Mims’ services to ensure his training dedication in the days leading up to camp. They have expressed concern with his lack of strength but have been impressed with his willingness to beef up.

“He’s put on seven or eight pounds and his strength has improved,” Ross said. “It’s not at the NFL level yet, but his strength looks like it’s going to improve. If he sticks with it for the next five to six weeks it should allow him to compete.

“He knows how to rush the passer, I can tell you that. Watching him work on the field in one-on-one drills has been pretty impressive. (Tackle) Harry Swayne pulled a calf muscle trying to contend with one of his quick moves. He’s got some moves.”

Mims said he may not have applied himself in the weight room in the off-season while at Tennessee, but he said no one should underestimate his abilities.

“I know I’m weak in the weight room,” he said, “but I don’t consider myself weak on the field. There are a lot of bodybuilders out there, who are strong, but they can’t play football.”

John Dunn, Charger strength and conditioning coach, said Mims first could bench-press only 225 pounds six to eight times. He said Mims now can press close to 300 pounds three to four times.

“I think the whole strength thing has been blown out of proportion,” Dunn said. “Nobody questioned Leslie O’Neal’s strength when he was drafted. Leslie can probably press 315 pounds three or four times.

“But players like O’Neal and Mims have that quickness and explosiveness on the field. I watched Mims in the Senior Bowl practices and nobody could block him. He may not be a weightlifter, but won’t everyone look foolish if he’s pressing 300 pounds three years from now and playing in the Pro Bowl.”

Although Mims’ early signing is a break in the Charger tradition, there still are 12 other draft choices and 15 veterans unsigned.

“That’s the biggest concern right now,” Ross said. “You want to get started with a full deck.”