Chargers Near Agreement With Richards : Chargers: Another holdout, Marion Butts, is considering whether to file suit against the team.

Starting offensive guard David Richards is expected to end his holdout and reach agreement on a one-year contract with the Chargers today.

“I would like to think by (today) that Richards will make the decision to come in,” General Manager Bobby Beathard said. “I don’t see any reason why there wouldn’t be an agreement.”

The attorney for running back Marion Butts, however, put the kibosh on a report Monday that Butts would report to training camp this week, but file a lawsuit against the team.

“The lawsuit has been drafted and has been ready to go for a month, but the decision to file it has not been made,” said George Schultz, Butts’ attorney. “Marion and I talked for almost six hours today and there are a million considerations . . . It’s getting so legally complex, but right now it’s status quo.”

Butts has been fined $19,500--$1,500 a day--for not reporting to training camp.

There was word earlier Monday from Butts’ camp that he had decided to report for duty and would save face by announcing he would file a lawsuit challenging football’s anti-trust status.

“That’s what’s been decided,” said a source, who had been in contact with Butts’ agent, Mike Merkow. “He’s coming in.”

Merkow said, “I’m not commenting,” and directed all questions to Schultz. Schultz said he has replaced Merkow as Butts’ representative.

“I’m handling it 100% now,” Schultz said. “We’re positioning ourselves in the event there are legal proceedings.”

Schultz said it’s possible Butts will report to the Chargers this week, and also file a lawsuit, “just like it’s possible the Chargers will call today and pay Marion $9 billion,” he said. “It just hasn’t been decided yet.

“After reading some of the things Bobby Beathard has said in the paper about not needing Marion, Marion is more determined than ever not to come in. The Chargers won’t even talk to us.”

The Chargers will play their first exhibition game Saturday against Houston, and while waiting for Butts’ return, they have gone to work with Rod Bernstine and Ronnie Harmon in the same backfield.

“It’s going to present a whole lot of trouble for somebody,” Bernstine said.

Last season the Chargers relied on a one-back attack with Butts alternating with Bernstine. They went to Harmon on third downs. This year they will try to keep the opposition guessing by employing Bernstine and Harmon at the same time.

“Playing them at the same time has really intrigued me,” quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner said. “Whether Butts is here or not, we can play that mixed group on first or second down and keep the defense off balance.”

The Chargers gained much of their yardage on the ground behind the blocking of Richards and tackle Broderick Thompson on the right side of the line last season. One-half of that tandem appears ready to come to terms.

Richards said, “I’m close. I just need a little time to sit on it and think.”

Beathard said he went after Richards Monday, but made no attempt to contact Thompson.

“There wasn’t much difference with Richards’ (contract demands), but there’s a great difference in the other (Thompson),” Beathard said, “and we’re not interested in pursuing it.”

Thompson, who has started the past 51 games for the Chargers, said he will have to re-evaluate his situation if Richards reports to duty.

“Here comes the hard balls now from Bobby,” Thompson said. “Bobby feels a lot better about himself in this situation than he did yesterday because of David coming in. That’s why he can say what he’s saying.

“Of course it puts pressure on me,” he said. “Something has to be done if they don’t like my offer: trade me, cut me or whatever. We’re not that far apart; it’s not that substantial amount.”

While the Chargers waited for Thompson, they went ahead and signed 6-3, 290-pound offensive tackle Shane Elliott, a rookie free agent from Weber State, who was released by the Redskins recently.

“So what?” Thompson said. “If somebody’s available right now, he’s no good. That’s the least of my worries.”

Beathard, meanwhile, remains frustrated by the negotiations with agent Chris Knepp and adviser Chris Dorsey that have marked the team’s efforts to sign its No. 1 draft choice, safety Stanley Richard.

“We talked today, but I was a little discouraged,” Beathard said. “I don’t know if it will be any time soon that we’ll get Stanley in here.”

Beathard said he was discouraged “by their position,” and declined further comment.

Beathard also reported no progress in efforts to trade disgruntled defensive lineman Lee Williams.

“I talked to Tampa and there is nothing there,” Beathard said. “I talked to the Jets and the Jets seemed to have lost some interest. They saw no point in making a deal.”

Quarterback John Friesz received the bulk of work as Billy Joe Tolliver’s backup in Monday’s practices.

Friesz beat the Chargers’ secondary with a deep completion to free agent wide receiver Troy Kyles.

Coach Dan Henning said Tolliver will play half of Saturday night’s exhibition game with Houston. He said Friesz and Bob Gagliano will each play a quarter.

The catch of training camp so far belongs to tight end Arthur Cox.

Cox, who wears No. 88, made like Lynn Swann and made a diving grab of a Tolliver pass during Monday morning’s practice. A few minutes later he hauled in a touchdown pass from Gagliano, which prompted Tolliver to yell: “Arthur Cox: All La Jolla.”

The Chargers’ starting defense Monday featured George Hinkle, Burt Grossman and Joe Phillips along the defensive line, Gary Plummer, Billy Ray Smith, Leslie O’Neal and Junior Seau at linebacker, Martin Bayless and Floyd Fields at safety and Donald Frank and Gill Byrd at cornerback.

The starting offensive unit consisted of Mark May at right tackle, Dean Brown at right guard, Courtney Hall at center, Leo Goeas at left tackle and Eric Moten at left guard, Bernstine at running back, Tolliver at quarterback, Nate Lewis and Walter Wilson at wide receiver, Derrick Walker at H-back and Arthur Cox at tight end.

The weekend trip to Flagstaff to take on the Cardinals resulted in a number of injuries.

Wide receiver Anthony Miller continues to be bothered by a quadriceps muscle pull. Tackle Mike Withycombe (knee) and guards Mike Zandofsky (knee, ankle, elbow) and Eric Floyd (knee) were unable to don shoulder pads for practice.

Cornerback Sam Seale, however, made his first appearance in practice uniform since undergoing shoulder surgery. Henning said, however, that Seale will not be allowed to practice on a full-time basis until after the second exhibition game.