Chargers at Impasse in Talks With Friesz : Pro football: Beathard wants to sign quarterback to two-year deal.

Chargers General Manager Bobby Beathard championed John Friesz’ bid to become starting quarterback, but Beathard made it clear Friday that the Chargers will do nothing more to break the contract impasse wth Friesz.

He said there will be no new contract proposal to Friesz, and he said the Chargers will not sign Friesz to a one-year contract under any circumstances.

Said Leigh Steinberg, the quarterback’s agent, “We made the last proposal and got away from asking for $1 million. We made a very fair and moderate proposal. We deliberately picked a figure ($750,000) that we hoped would be reasonable so it would be acceptable. We won’t make a new proposal.”

The new figure might be acceptable to the Chargers, but Beathard said the one-year length of the offer is not.

“That’s something we thought long and hard about,” Beathard said, explaining that the team will not do a short-term deal with Friesz. “We don’t want to be in this position again next year, and it’s a guarantee we will be if we start thinking in those terms.

“At this stage in John’s career I don’t think we’re wrong in our position. If this was a veteran that had proved something, then I think that would be a different story.”

Friesz spent the entire off-season in San Diego preparing himself for this year, but he said he spent his first day of training camp watching “everything from the Pink Panther to Oprah on TV.

“I’m saddened by the fact we can’t find a middle of the road,” he said. “I’m not sure what else we can do. We’ve made several new proposals and we’ve tried to bend with the system and so far they haven’t bent back.”

Friesz, who is 4-13 as a starter, ranked 14th among AFC quarterbacks last year. He earned a base salary of $120,000. With incentives, he collected a total of $275,000.

“John understands that he is a young starting quarterback and has not proven he belongs in the $1 million club at this time,” Steinberg said. “What we’re asking for is the opportunity to compete now and then be compensated at a different level in 1993.”

The Chargers offered Friesz a two-year contract with a base salary of $700,000 in 1992 and $850,000 in 1993. They also would pay Friesz an additional $3,000 for each game he starts in 1992 and 1993.

“I’m concerned, because we’ve made a decision on what we’re not going to do,” Beathard said. “Right now I can’t find a solution to it.

“You have to look at the other side, too, and how badly John wants to be here and play. I’ve seen this very same thing happen and the guy comes in. I think it has to come from their side.”

The average salary for a starting quarterback in the league last season was $1.72 million. It’s expected to climb over the $2 million mark this season. The average salary for all quarterbacks in the league last season was $847,000.

When Steinberg first approached the Chargers, he talked about a contract that would bring Friesz close to the $1.5 million mark in 1993. On Thursday he made a new proposal, dropped the second year in his initial two-year offer.

Beathard immediately told Steinberg that the offer was unacceptable. The two sides did not talk Friday.

“It’s hard,” Beathard said. “I don’t know where to go from here. I’m certain they will be disappointed if I call back.”

While working as general manager of the Redskins, Beathard conducted negotiations with another up-and-coming quarterback in Washington’s Jay Schroeder.

“We went from $200,000 to $800,000, but Schroeder came off a year where he threw for 4,000 yards and went to the NFC Championship game and made the Pro Bowl,” Beathard said. “Schroeder’s problems began after that.”

Beathard quickly pointed out that Schroeder and Friesz are quite different in their approach to the game: “I don’t think John and Jay can even be compared. They are totally different people. This guy (Friesz) loves to work, he loves to be here, he’s well-liked by his teammates.”

But Beathard is concerned about handing too much money to Friesz at this stage of the quarterback’s career. He’s also worried by what impact a large contract will have on Friesz’ teammates. He still must come to terms with another dozen unsigned veterans, although he said he has reached an agreement with tackle Broderick Thompson.

He also does not want to add to the perception that Friesz is “Bobby’s boy.”

The Chargers opened training camp Thursday and continue to practice with Bob Gagliano, Pat O’Hara and Jeff Graham at quarterback. So far the trio has been inconsistent in performance, “a little shaky,” as Coach Bobby Ross said.

The team’s remaining veterans are not scheduled to practice for the first time until July 23, and the preseason schedule does not open until Aug. 8.

But how long can the Chargers go before it becomes imperative to sign Friesz?

“Good question,” Beathard said. “I don’t know. He’s clearly the No. 1 guy, but I don’t like that feeling that you have to do something because there is a gun to your head. I don’t think that’s the way they’ve put it, but maybe it eventually gets to that.”

Steinberg has tried to keep the Friesz negotiations from getting contentious, and he pointed out that his new proposal was delivered with the intention of settling this matter quickly.

“This is a tale with a very happy ending,” he said. “John is happy with the Chargers, and he will be playing for them this season.”