Chargers Make Move To Get Qb Give Up Plenty For Chance To Take Leaf Or Manning With Second Overall Draft Pick

It cost them plenty, but the San Diego Chargers assured themselves of picking either Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf in April’s NFL draft.

Desperate for a starting quarterback, the Chargers made a blockbuster deal with Arizona to move up one spot in April’s draft on Thursday, from the third pick to the second.

The Cardinals will receive San Diego’s first- and second-round picks this year, plus the Chargers’ 1999 first-round pick. They also get star punt returner Eric Metcalf and linebacker Patrick Sapp.

“There are two quarterbacks in this draft and I think the consensus of opinion is that two guys like that don’t come along very often,” Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard said. “If we’re going to be successful in getting that type of quarterback, were going to have to give up something, and we really did.”

The Chargers would still like to add a veteran quarterback to bridge the gap until Leaf or Manning are ready, but are believed prepared to start a rookie if necessary. San Diego was recently rebuffed by Erik Kramer, who resigned with Chicago, and is believed to be interested in former Chargers starter John Friesz, who’s under contract with Seattle.

Indianapolis, which traded quarterback Jim Harbaugh to Baltimore last month, has the first pick. Cardinals coach Vince Tobin said he couldn’t be happier with the trade, calling Metcalf “a perfect fit” who will become the team’s punt and kickoff returner and third receiver.

Beathard said the Chargers have no preference right now on whether they get Manning or Leaf. “Whichever one is there,” he said.

Stan Humphries, San Diego’s starting quarterback since 1992, retired Feb. 27 because of the effects of two concussions suffered within 18 days last season. Jim Everett won’t be back, leaving only Craig Whelihan, who saw his first NFL action and was 0-7 in relief of Humphries.

The Chargers were 4-12 last year, losing their last eight games. Their offense was one of the NFL’s worst, but they’ve begun to rebuild by welcoming back running back Natrone Means and signing free-agent linemen Aaron Taylor from Green Bay and John Jackson from Pittsburgh.

Then the big trade.

“I really personally didn’t expect it to happen this quickly,” Beathard said, adding that he’d been on the phone nearly nonstop for 24 hours.

Beathard said Manning, from Tennessee, and Leaf, from Washington State, are similar in that they’re big, winners and “are tough guys.”

“Each one has the ingredients to be a top-level quarterback in this league,” he said. “They’re both the kinds of guys that you look for. They aren’t clones; they are different. I don’t think that the upside of one is different.”

ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: Cut in Spokane edition.

This sidebar appeared with the story: ANATOMY OF A DEAL Chargers get: No. 2 pick in the draft. Cardinals get: San Diego’s first- and second-round picks, 1999 first-round pick, plus Eric Metcalf and Patrick Sapp.