Butts Gets Reward Year After Holdout : Chargers: Beathard will rework Pro Bowl running back’s contract.

A year ago at this time running back Marion Butts remained home demanding that his contract be renegotiated, while the Chargers continued to practice.

Butts stood stubborn for 39 days, and the Chargers announced that he would be fined $1,500 a day for his absence.

So the Chargers never took the $55,500 in fines from his pay. No, instead of taking his money, they gave him the ball, and despite missing training camp, he ran his way into the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row.

Although they didn’t collect the fines, they refused to rework his contract last season, which called for a base salary of $225,000. Butts was the Chargers’ leading rusher in 1991 with 834 yards, but he was paid less than Rod Bernstine ($455,000), less than Ronnie Harmon ($475,000) and only $15,000 more than Eric Bieniemy.

He is due to earn $325,000 this season; Bernstine reportedly will be paid $693,000, Harmon $550,000 and Bieniemy $275,000.

But when Butts lines up as the team’s starting running back next month, the Chargers said he will have a new contract that will reward him for his standout play.

“There is no one against redoing Marion’s contract,” said General Manager Bobby Beathard. “We think it’s the right thing to do.”

Butts reported to training camp this year without incident. He held out last year because he believed that he had been promised a new contract. “It was for principle,” he said, and although that new contract was delayed for a year, that has been put behind him.

Since the end of last season, he has been working on making himself into a bigger, tougher and stronger football player. Marion Butts, bigger, tougher and stronger?

His body fat has dropped from 13% to 9%. “I’m more muscle now,” he said.

He has run almost every day since the conclusion of last season. He has lifted weights, and he said if he makes the team, he will be ready to score some touchdowns.

“I’m still a seventh-round pick trying to make the team all over again,” Butts said. “We have new coaches, new people to impress.”

He actually believes that. In practice he runs the ball like a free agent trying to avoid being sent home. He turned the corner in a half-speed tempo drill Tuesday like a freight train dropping off a cliff.

“Boy,” said Dan Fouts in amazement, while watching from the sideline, “is he good.”

Try and tackle him. “Are you kidding?” said Coach Bobby Ross. “He’s a load.

“It’s hard to believe he’s a seventh-rounder. This is a hell of a football player, a complete football player.”

Dan Henning, the former Chargers’ coach, recognized Butts’ abilities immediately, and although Butts was drafted to play on special teams, Henning made him a star.

Ross will do likewise. He may have two backs together behind the quarterback, but when the Chargers run the ball, they will run it with Butts.

“Just give me a chance,” he said.

Why not? He has averaged 4.4 yards a carry on an offense that hasn’t gained much ground. He has fumbled only five times in 628 NFL carries, and one more 1,000-yard season will move him into second place on the Chargers’ all-time rushing list behind Paul Lowe.

He’s modest, he’s hard-working and undoubtedly he will be worth every penny the Chargers pay him this season.

“He’s something else,” Beathard said. “He has a terrific attitude and he has done everything anyone could ask of him.”

Ross said that he expects the team will be without safety Anthony Shelton, who underwent shoulder surgery this week, for the remainder of the season.

Shelton’s injury improves the chances of rookie James Fuller and Floyd Fields to make the roster.

Linebacker Billy Ray Smith’s calf injury has improved, but he’s still unable to practice.

“He’s better, but still not there,” Ross said. “Boy, we’ve been a long time here and he’s not put in one play yet.”

Ross said the team is “thin” at the linebacking position, but he commended the play of Steve Hendrickson. Hendrickson worked for the Chargers strictly on offense last season, but will double as a linebacker and fullback.

“He’s done pretty well,” Ross said. “He’s become more of a disciplined player. He’s come along pretty good, and he’s a valuable player for us because he can step in on goal line and help us (on offense).”

Wide receiver Walter Stanley continues to make impressive catches in practice. Stanley made a diving catch on a well-aimed pass from Bob Gagliano.

Wide receiver Nate Lewis, meanwhile, continues to stand idle with a quadriceps muscle injury. “Each day it gets to be a little more of a concern to me,” Ross said. “Stanley, Robert Claiborne and Yancey Thigpen continue to impress. . . . I don’t think they are at (Lewis’) level yet.”

Defensive end Chris Mims has struggled in the early weeks of training camp, but Ross liked the way he worked Tuesday. “He came to play today,” Ross said. “That’s the best he has looked in probably a week. . . . He’s shown us enough that eventually he’s probably going to be a pretty good football player.”

Disregard the Chargers’ previous announcement that had them practicing tonight at USD. The team will work out twice today at UC San Diego at 9:30 and 3:30.