PRO FOOTBALL REPORT / WEEKDAY UPDATE : CHARGERS : Versatility a Factor in Mays’ Release

The Chargers on Thursday released punt returner Jerry Mays, signed wide receiver Ron Heard and then made plans to place Heard on injured reserve so they could fill his spot with wide receiver Scott Schwedes.

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Heard, a 5-10, 177-pound sixth-round pick of the Steelers, missed mini-camp and all but one day of training camp with a torn quadricep muscle. He remains unable to run at full speed, but is considered a promising prospect by General Manager Bobby Beathard.

“We have pretty much decided to place him on injured reserve if we can work out a contract with Schwedes,” Beathard said. “We gave Heard a tryout and he didn’t run real good. He apparently has calcium deposits in his thigh, but he’s a good enough prospect to give him a look.”

Heard received a call from the Chargers about 5 Tuesday night and was on a 6:55 flight from Detroit to San Diego.

“I’m not able to go full speed yet, and they understand my situation and are willing to work with me,” Heard said.

Schwedes, a 6-0, 182-pound second-round choice of the Dolphins in 1987, averaged 9.7 yards on 66 punt returns. He also caught 13 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown.

Mays, a free agent rookie from Georgia Tech, returned seven punts for an average of 4.3 yards.

The Chargers have received several calls from people across the country who have heard about the mysterious illness that has hit cornerback Gill Byrd’s 6-year-old son, Gill Jr.

A truck driver from Ohio said the youngster’s rising temperature and painful joints were similar to the symptoms experienced by his own child. Another man from Wisconsin said his daughter had been ill, and passed on information to Byrd.

Gill, Jr. has been released from Children’s Hospital, but continues to have difficulties.

Byrd said he hopes to hear results of a series of tests conducted earlier on his youngster today.

Cleveland “Dawg Pound” fans, who may elect to pitch dog bones at the Chargers on Sunday, take note:

“I’ve eaten dog biscuits before,” quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver said. “And I’m a Milk Bone type of guy. They’re dry, but you know they’re not bad.”

The Chargers will be playing in front of a sellout crowd Sunday, and the end-zone fans in Cleveland Stadium have developed a rowdy reputation.

“It can’t be much different than playing Arkansas in Fayetteville,” Tolliver said. “They throw whiskey bottles, chili dogs, and maybe even a little Red Man chew every once in a while. They usually get you with a real nice spray.

“So it can’t be any tougher than Arkansas.”