CHARGER UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : SDSU Product Claiborne Makes a Case for Job at Wide Receiver

When training camp began, there weren’t a whole lot of people in the Charger organization who gave free agent wide receiver Robert Claiborne any chance of winning a job.

The former San Diego State wide receiver probably still doesn’t figure in their plans, but until they can find someone else to score touchdowns, the Chargers might want to keep him around.

In two scrimmages with the Rams, Claiborne has accounted for all of the Chargers’ scoring. He caught touchdown passes of 52 and 33 yards from quarterback John Friesz in Saturday’s 12-12 meeting with the Rams in front of an estimated 2,500 at UC San Diego.

A little more than a week ago, Claiborne hauled in a 43-yard scoring pass from Pat O’Hara to account for the Chargers’ only score.

Claiborne beat No. 42--Rams’ free agent cornerback Courtney Griffin--on all three touchdown plays.

“I hope there are a lot of 42s out there,” Claiborne said. “Everything is working out and I couldn’t ask for a better situation or opportunity. Being a local guy (who attended Mt. Miguel High School) is just a dream come true; I couldn’t asked for more than a day like today.”

Claiborne played at Grossmont Junior College and Southwestern Community College before catching 81 career passes for 1,312 yards with nine touchdowns at San Diego State. After the Lions selected him in the 12th round of the 1990 draft, he went on injured reserve with a hamstring problem and then was released.

“I feel so fortunate to come out here and do well in front of my parents and friends,” Claiborne said. “Bobby Beathard is known for finding unknown guys and hopefully I can add to his list.”

Wayne Walker, a speedy free-agent wide receiver from Texas Tech, emerged from the back of the pack with a pair of touchdown catches in a scrimmage with the Rams in 1989 and held on to make the Chargers’ final roster. An injury a year later paved the way for his release.

The Chargers are looking for a fourth wide receiver with Claiborne’s speed; they have concerns about the health of No. 2 receiver Nate Lewis. However, Claiborne will have to show more in two-a-day practices to climb over Yancey Thigpen and Walter Stanley to merit a longer look.

Thigpen caught two passes for 38 yards against a Ram secondary that was playing without starters Michael Stewart, Darryl Henley and Todd Lyght. Stanley had one catch for 20 yards.

Friesz opened the scrimmage for the Chargers with a 23-yard strike to Thigpen. He had the Chargers on the move early on, but misfired on a pass to Ronnie Harmon, and it was intercepted by Rams’ safety Eric Buckley. Friesz was five for nine with 143 yards, including the two touchdown passes to Claiborne.

Bob Gagliano was four for four for 43 yards; Jeff Graham went two for five for 18 yards and Pat O’Hara one for three for 12 yards.

Rams quarterback Jim Everett completed six of 12 for 149 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown pass to Willie Anderson, who had evaded the coverage of cornerback Gill Byrd.

Byrd had his troubles in the secondary, but Coach Bobby Ross said Byrd was performing on a sprained ankle.

“Most guys would have said, ‘Can I hold out and not play?’ ” Ross said. “I’m not worried about Gill.”

Charger safety Stanley Richard intercepted an Everett pass intended for Aaron Cox. Richard delivered a jarring hit on Cox while stealing the ball from his hands, and had the referees not blown their whistles, he would have returned the ball for a touchdown.

“That’s what the Sheriff normally does, control things,” said Richard, who calls himself “the Sheriff.”

“Last year I just sat back and reacted,” he said. “This year I’m going out to make things happen.”

Rookie quarterback T.J. Rubley threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Todd Kinchen against the Chargers’ defensive reserves to tie the scrimmage and close out the scoring.

Worst performance by a Charger in this year’s scrimmage play goes to tackle Darryl Jenkins, hands down.

Journeyman defensive end Gerald Robinson treated Jenkins like revolving door as he repeatedly spun him around while on his way to sacking the quarterback.

“(Jenkins) did not have a good day,” Ross said.

Tight end Deems May, a seventh-round draft pick for the Chargers, suffered a broken wrist in the scrimmage.

Eric Bieniemy led the Chargers’ running attack with seven rushes for 42 yards. Rod Bernstine, however, broke off the best run of the day with a 22-yard burst.

Ross said he was disappointed with the play of the team’s second-string performers along the offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker.

“I was reasonably pleased with our first bunch,” Ross said. “But we’ve got to find some other people to play, too (should injuries deplete the first group).”