Leaf A No-Show At Chargers Camp

Ryan Leaf is expected to take the San Diego Chargers to great heights. He might be a few days late getting started, though.

A big gap between contract proposals remains, and the quarterback who led Washington State into the Rose Bowl last January became an official holdout when he failed to show for the team's first practice Friday.

Leaf's agent, Leigh Steinberg, and Chargers negotiator Ed McGuire met Thursday night halfway between Newport Beach and San Diego to try and perhaps meet halfway between proposals.

"Ed said it's about 50-50. I'm probably not as optimistic," general manager Bobby Beathard said about the possibility of Leaf arriving in camp Friday.

Said Steinberg: "We're not going to allow the beginning of his career to be marred. If it takes a couple of days, it takes a couple of days."

Both coach Kevin Gilbride and Beathard said Leaf, the second pick in the April draft, needs to be in on time.

"Every practice is important, or you wouldn't do it," Gilbride said.

Beathard said neither side had moved on money.

"I think it's more just trying to feel each other out, where we're going to go, both structurally and money-wise," he said.

Steinberg is believed to have asked the Chargers for $35 million over six years, with a $10.8 million signing bonus for Leaf, the second pick in the draft. The Chargers are believed to have offered roughly $24 million over six years, with a $7.5 million bonus.

Steinberg is known for negotiating contracts that void after a certain number of years, provided the player meets certain criteria. If the player reaches the incentives, he can void the deal and become a free agent, or re-ign for much more money.

This deal likely will void after three or four seasons.

There's a good reason why the Chargers want Leaf in camp on time. It's called learning the plays.

"That'll be a good starting point," Gilbride said. "He's got to learn how to call our plays and understand what we're doing."

The strong-armed Leaf comes from a program -- Washington State -- that threw the ball a lot, and even reached the Rose Bowl. So Gilbride doesn't think the rookie will have a problem reading defenses or understanding the schemes.

"I think it's just a matter of getting better and better with us. And of course the more he does it, the better he's going to be at it," Gilbride said.

Leaf, likely to win the starting job over Craig Whelihan, got personal tutelage this summer from Gilbride and quarterbacks coach June Jones. But things are different during 7-on-7 drills, 11-on-11's and, of course, exhibition games.

The Chargers are trying to rebound from a 4-12 season that Gilbride called "disastrous" and Beathard called a "nightmare."

San Diego opens camp with linebacker Junior Seau coming off minor knee surgery on July 1, and linebacker Kurt Gouveia coming off neck surgery.

Seau said the knee feels "real good." But when asked if he could go full speed right away, he said: "Nope."

Additionally, there will be a new starter at every offensive line position, including newcomers John Jackson at left tackle, Aaron Taylor at left guard and Roman Fortin at center.

There is no proven wide receiver after the trade of Tony Martin to Atlanta, although the Chargers have spoken with the agent for Anthony Miller. He was the Chargers' first-round draft pick in 1988 who was allowed to leave as a free agent after 1993.

Running back Natrone Means and defensive end Chris Mims, who were banished even though they started on the 1994 team that went to the Super Bowl, get second chances.

"He better be ready," Gilbride said of Means. "We're going to ride him for a while and see how far he can carry us. We're certainly not going be shy in giving him the ball."

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