Grievance Filed Against Leaf

The San Diego Chargers filed a breach-of-contract grievance with the NFL against Ryan Leaf, but with the intent of extending the quarterback’s contract.

The Chargers’ grievance, filed this week, seeks to withhold the last $2.95-million payment on Leaf’s $11.25-million signing bonus.

The grievance was in the works while Leaf was serving a four-week suspension for insubordination, during which he violated his contract by playing flag football with friends.

Leaf was suspended without pay and fined an additional week’s salary, a total of $73,530, for cursing General Manager Bobby Beathard and strength coach John Hastings after refusing to do a weight workout while rehabbing his surgically repaired right shoulder.

But Leaf doesn’t think he’s going to lose that $2.95-million payment, and thinks he’ll end up with an additional year or two on his contract.

Both sides said they expect to settle in a matter of days, before they’re sent to arbitration.

“The intent of the resolution is to make sure that Ryan has long-term stability here,” club president Dean Spanos said.

Leaf’s contract voids after the 2000 season, at which point the Chargers can “buy back” the fourth and fifth year with a $4-million signing bonus. Leaf hinted that under the resolution, the contract might not void until after the 2001 or 2002 seasons, keeping the $4-million bonus in the team’s pocket that much longer.

Also, the team released defensive end Chris Mims for the second time this season and signed rookie receiver Robert Reed from the practice squad.

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According to ESPN, an arrest warrant names Carolina receiver Rae Carruth as the gunman in the Nov. 16 shooting of his pregnant girlfriend, Cherica Adams. Also, two-week-old Chancellor Lee Adams, who was delivered 10 weeks short of full term, was upgraded from critical to serious condition.

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According to the Rocky Mountain News, Denver quarterback Bubby Brister knew only 20% of the team’s playbook when he was named the starter after John Elway’s retirement, but the coaching staff was expecting him to grasp 60%. It adds that the decision to start Brian Griese came after Brister came “unglued” when the headsets stopped working and he was on his own in the preseason finale. Brister denied the report.

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The Miami Dolphins signed quarterback Damon Huard to a two-year, $2.1 million contract extension. . . . Detroit quarterback Gus Frerotte will start Sunday against Washington. . . . Carolina linebacker Kevin Greene was fined $7,500 by the league for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Atlanta quarterback Chris Chandler on Sunday. . . . Philadelphia wide receiver Charles Johnson was put on the injured list because of a knee injury suffered Nov. 21.