Byrd’s Determination Takes Toll on His Body : Football: Chargers defender could use some rest, but that is not in his game plan.

The Rams’ Flipper Anderson sprinted past Gill Byrd at Saturday’s scrimmage and hauled in a touchdown pass from Jim Everett with Byrd a good 10 yards behind.

Is age catching up with Byrd, the 10-year veteran from San Jose State? He might have lost a step or two, but six or seven?

The only thing wrong with Byrd these days is his attitude--ultra-competitive.

While other players sit out practices in attempts to give their injuries time to heal, Byrd winces and limps through them while wearing his green jersey--which tells offensive players to lay off him.

Byrd acknowledges he probably shouldn’t have been on the field Saturday, especially when he was isolated against one of the NFL’s faster receivers. But Byrd, heavily taped left ankle ankle and all, participated Saturday and continues to practice daily while wearing a green jersey.

“I’m feeling bad,” Byrd said after Monday’s practice. “My ankle’s hurting me and I hurt it just when I was getting comfortable with the new defenses.

“I’m disappointed. I know what to do, but it’s hard getting there because I’m favoring one side. Other parts of my body are starting to hurt because I’m running wrong because I’m compensating for my ankle. It’s football though, and you have to work through those things.”

Byrd played through a painful heel injury at the end of last season, and it has lingered on through minicamps this year.

How long can Byrd continue playing on his sprained ankle, or should he even be playing?

“I don’t know,” said Byrd, who was named to his first Pro Bowl team last season. “I’m the type of player that has to see things as they develop, but maybe I shouldn’t be out here. Maybe I should just take a couple days and let it heal itself, and then come back out and be ready to go.”

Chargers trainer Keoki Kamau said, “The guy’s got an injury and he is working through it.” Kamau added, “It is an individual thing.”

When asked if Byrd is doing the right thing, Kamau said, “My advice is between myself and the player.”

Said defensive backs coach John Fox: “The fact that he’s (Byrd) out there is a tribute to what kind of guy he is. He probably shouldn’t be practicing. He’s the type of player that needs to see things and wants to get the reps to see it.”

Coach Bobby Ross didn’t appear to be worried about Byrd’s ankle.

“It’s just sore,” he said. “We’re all sore from two-a-days. He’ll be fine.”

Ross said Anderson’s touchdown catch while being covered by Byrd could have happened to any cornerback.

“He was just isolated,” Ross said. “Darrell Green is going to run into that if he’s isolated one on one. I’ve got more problems than (Gill Byrd).”

But Byrd said if he continues to practice he could encounter more problems than a sprained ankle.

“It could still get better, but maybe not at the same rate if I keep practicing,” he said. “But the risk you run in practicing is, someone will kick it or you’ll roll it.”

So why practice and risk suffering a more serious injury?

“There’s a new coaching staff,” he said. “I don’t want them to think that I’m trying to skate through anything, take anything lightly. They want to see who is willing to work through things, who is willing to strap it on when there’s adversity.

“I’m just trying to be smart about it, in terms of not doing everything, holding myself out of certain drills. Taking a couple snaps here, a couple steps there.”

But Byrd said sitting out entirely would be too much too ask of him.

“I could, if I wanted to do that,” Byrd said. “Sitting out just doesn’t sit well with me. A lot of guys on this team who are hurting. If I can work through this, I want to work through it. If I can’t, then it comes to a point where I have to make a decision.”

The decision might be made for him today when he goes in for an X-ray.

“I’m going to see if it’s more than a sprain,” Byrd said.

Even if it is, don’t count on Byrd missing much, if any practice time.