"As expected, the Chargers will get one of their restricted free agents back in the fold soon.

Linebacker Shawne Merriman will join the Chargers this weekend.

A source said he is considering the team's off day Sunday to sign his $3.269 million tender and report to camp. Another source said it "could possibly be sooner."

He has not informed the team of his decision, but it has been expected that he would be in at some point in the next week.

If he did not report, Merriman would almost certainly receive a letter from the Chargers informing him they planned to put him on the Roster Exempt List. Were he not to report by Aug. 20, he would be held out three games from the time he did report. That would make him ineligible for the season opener and mean he was forfeiting at least $192,000.

Merriman said last week he knows he has to get back on the field and prove he is still the player who had a league-leading 39½ sacks from 2005-07 -- before reconstructive knee surgery in 2008. Merriman returned to play last season, but while dealing with a severe foot injury and other ailments, he had four sacks in just more than 400 plays (approximately one-third of the amount he played in 2006 and '07)."