San Diego ? Chargers Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman said Saturday he has two torn ligaments in his left knee and has been told by doctors that he could suffer a possible career-ending injury if he attempts to play without having surgery.

Merriman said he has tears in both the posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments. He said doctors agree that he needs surgery to repair the damage.

“It could be career-threatening if I did (play),” Merriman said. “It’s a possibility. That possibility is still open.”

A course of action has not been decided. Merriman, who will consult with a doctor in Miami early next week before making a decision, has been told reconstructive surgery would sideline him for the entire 2008 season. Another option is a less-invasive surgery that would allow him to play at some point in the season.

“They’ve all said the same things about the injury,” Merriman said. “(They’re) kind of surprised that I’ve been playing with it up to this point.”

The Chargers open the regular season Sept. 7 against the Carolina Panthers. Merriman wants to play this season.

“That’s first and foremost,” Merriman said. “That’s what I want to do. That’s why this decision is even out there still and not already made, because I want to play, period. The question is what should I do? How long should I play with it?

Merriman left the team Tuesday to seek opinions from other doctors, a trek that included a visit with renowned surgeon James Andrews on Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala. He said he is seeking as many opinions as he can for a reason.

Coach Norv Turner has remained optimistic all week that Merriman will be able to play this season. He again expressed that hope Saturday.

“Right now, in talking to him, his mind-set is he’s doing everything he can to get ready for Carolina, our opener,” Turner said. “He just wants to get a little bit more information on his knee.”

Merriman has made the Pro Bowl in each of his three NFL seasons. He has 391â2 sacks in that span, more than any other NFL player.

¢Denver – Brandon Marshall has spent the summer giving quarterback Jay Cutler and the rest of the Denver Broncos a glimpse of what they’ll soon be sorely missing.

The standout receiver, who was suspended for the season’s first two or three games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, has made spectacular catches in each of the Broncos’ three exhibition games. He had a diving touchdown catch against Dallas last week and a juggling 49-yard TD grab against Green Bay on Friday night.

Marshall isn’t backing off his prediction of a 100-catch season and maybe the Pro Bowl just because he’s going to be watching the first couple of weeks from Cutler’s couch, crashing out at his quarterback’s pad so they can go over things on their own at night while Marshall’s banned from team headquarters.

“I’m trying to break records this year,” Marshall boasted.

Even though his season will be 14 games at best?

“Yeah.”

Marshall caught 102 passes for 1,325 yards last season as he emerged as Cutler’s top target.