The Chargers have been exceptionally adept at getting deals done to retain their players, but their current situation keeps getting more intriguing.

Tight end Antonio Gates confirmed yesterday he has hired super-agent Tom Condon to represent him. That gives Condon, who has negotiated many of the largest contracts in NFL history, two of the Chargers players who will be getting big money in the next few years. Condon picked up linebacker Shawne Merriman last year.

Gates and Merriman are among five Chargers players who have the potential to cash in big-time over the next three years, either forcing the Chargers to open up the bank or testing free agency.

Merriman, Philip Rivers and Marcus McNeill are to be free agents after the 2009 season. Gates and Antonio Cromartie are up after 2010.

Rivers and McNeill are represented by Jimmy Sexton, an elite agent with whom General Manager A.J. Smith has clashed.

The Chargers have also gotten long-term deals done with LaDainian Tomlinson (a Condon client), Shaun Phillips, Kris Dielman, Quentin Jammer and eight other starters over the past four years.

But this volume of big-time players with big-time agents is unprecedented for the team. Smith has acknowledged in the past that the Chargers will not be able to sign all those players.

“We've always done a lot of contracts,” Smith said yesterday. “Will we hit a wall because they're megastars and because of the agents and they won't like the money? I don't know yet.

“But we're all professionals in a professional league. And we (the Chargers) do the contracts we like.”

Shelton excused

Offensive tackle L.J. Shelton, signed on Tuesday, is not at minicamp while tending to a medical issue involving a family member.

The Chargers knew of the issue when they signed him. Shelton is expected in town Monday and will stay through June.

Nuts 'n' Bolts

Kassim Osgood flew in from Florida for minicamp and will head back soon to his offseason training site. Whether he'll be at Chargers Park later this month remains a question. Osgood in March said he was unhappy with his role as solely a special teams player and would not be attending offseason workouts. Asked if he'd be back when coaching sessions begin May 19, Osgood said, “I don't know.”

Receiver Buster Davis rolled his ankle in the morning practice and rode a stationary bike in the afternoon.

Today's practices (10:45-12:30 and 4-6) at Chargers Park are open to the public. Parking is at the business center south of the complex or along Murphy Canyon Road.