CHARGER NOTEBOOK / T.J. SIMERS : Ross Says Seau Will Start; Linebacker Cautious

Coach Bobby Ross said linebacker Junior Seau will start against the Broncos on Sunday in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

“That’s my guess,” Ross said. “He practiced every day this week and he went through the whole thing today.”

Seau sustained a strained groin muscle last Friday before the Indianapolis game, and after trying and failing to run in pregame warm-ups, he was told by Ross to sit out the game.

“It’s really tight,” Seau said. “I’m not going to be running out there full speed and doing the things I would like to do. . . . There’s a different game plan if I do go out there. I’m going to be under better control and take a better angle (to the ball).”

But will he play?

“Last week I felt I was going to play and the coaches decided to keep me out,” he said. “(Trainer Keoki Kamau) says he’s going to wait until Sunday, and then he said we’ll find out if I’m going to suit up. It’s going to be tough to keep me from playing.”

The Chargers are concerned that Seau’s reckless style of play might aggravate his injury and hurt his play the remainder of the season.

“That’s going to be the question I have to face Sunday,” Seau said. “If the injury is still bothering me like it is today, I’m going to have to give it another week and be smart about it. I don’t want to go out and hurt the team.”

The Chargers will play without defensive end Leslie O’Neal, who underwent knee surgery this week, and will be strapped if Seau doesn’t make it through the game.

“This is a big game and if we’re going to make a move it has to be done on Sunday,” Seau said. “Instead of hoping for next week or the weeks to come, we can do something this week against Denver.”

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The Chargers were concerned about linebacker Kevin Murphy’s hamstring and were getting ready to promote linebacker Reggie Clark from the practice squad. Clark, however, injured a hamstring Friday.

“We’ll stay the way we are,” Ross said.

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The Chargers signed and added former Buffalo running back Howard Griffith (6 feet, 223 pounds) to their practice squad.

Ross said he told safety James Fuller not to practice Friday to stay within practice squad rules, and said the team will make a roster move Monday.

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Alex Spanos, the Chargers’ owner, made an appearance at the Charger Backer luncheon Friday. Spanos stopped to visit each table, but did not make a formal speech.

In the past, the Backers have expressed disappointment in Spanos’ reluctance to participate in their activities. No one could remember the last time he made an appearance at the Backer luncheon, which is held before each home game.

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Rookie defensive end Chris Mims, who is expected to replace O’Neal Sunday, treated his teammates to lunch and cake after practice.

“He copied Delton Hall, who bought everyone pizza last week,” defensive end Burt Grossman said. “He’s just buying friends. I don’t have to do that.”