CHARGERS: No worries over Merriman's knee, yet

Turner is hopeful there's no lingering pain for Bolts LB

By MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:43 AM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- Norv Turner isn't displaying any public panic over Shawne Merriman's ailing left knee, not with the regular-season opener still two-plus weeks away.

But rest assured, the Chargers coach will be among the people monitoring Merriman's progress real closely and hoping the pain in the Pro Bowl linebacker's surgically repaired knee dissipates.

"My concern will be if it lingers," Turner said after Wednesday's practice.

"Hopefully, it won't linger and hopefully in the next week to 10 days, he's going to be all right and ready to get going."

Merriman isn't feeling so splendid right now and was in Alabama on Wednesday being examined by Dr. James Andrews, the surgeon who repaired cartilage damage in his left knee in March.

Merriman has been experiencing persistent knee pain throughout training camp, and that prompted the trip to Birmingham, Ala.

"He's had some soreness," Turner said. "I think he wants to make sure he gets it checked out and make sure everything is all right with it.

"When he's been able to practice and move around, he's looked awfully good to me."

Merriman played in the Chargers' preseason opener against Dallas on Aug. 9 but hasn't practiced or played since. He missed all of last week's practices with either knee pain or a virus and didn't play in last Saturday's preseason loss to the St. Louis Rams.

Merriman hasn't been at Chargers Park the past two days but is expected to return on Thursday. He didn't immediately respond to an e-mail request seeking comment.

Fellow linebacker Matt Wilhelm said Merriman's absence isn't a big deal right now but could be if he's still hurting in the days before the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Carolina Panthers.

"I think coming into camp, there was an understanding between him and the coaches that if he needed a few days off here and there for the knee to rest and recover, it was going to be given," Wilhelm said. "He's given us as much as he can throughout this preseason. The first two weeks of camp, he was practicing almost every day, and the first preseason game against Dallas, he went out and played well.

"We've got a grace period right now, which is giving him an opportunity to rest that knee and seek evaluation so that he's 100 percent come the season opener."

Meanwhile, tight end Antonio Gates didn't practice Wednesday, the day after he passed a physical and was removed from the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Gates said he felt soreness in his left big toe Wednesday morning after going through a heavy workload on Tuesday. The work marked the first time Gates had participated in part of a football practice since last January.

"It's a day by day thing," said Gates, who underwent surgery six months ago to repair a tear in the plantar plate of his left foot. "Today I came to the conclusion to give it some rest because I went twice yesterday. Obviously, this injury is one of those things you have to kind of handle daily.

"I continue to monitor it because, ideally, I want to be at full strength come the opener."

Gates said he hopes to practice today when the Chargers conclude training camp with two practices.

Chargers notes

Veteran C Jeremy Newberry has had seven combined surgeries on his two knees but said his knees are feeling the best they have in more than a half dozen years. "I feel great," Newberry said. "I'm enthused with how I feel right now this late in camp. My body feels really, really good." â€- WRs Vincent Jackson (hamstring) and Craig Davis (knee) both missed practice again on Wednesday. Coach Norv Turner is hopeful that Jackson will participate in part of practice on either Friday or Saturday. Their availability for Monday's preseason game against Seattle hasn't yet been determined. LT Marcus McNeill (neck) and DT Jamal Williams (knees) also didn't practice.

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.

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