There has been no word from Antonio Gates or his agent as of yesterday evening, and it is very unlikely that Gates will return to camp anytime soon. "It's a big thing because of who the guy is," General Manager A.J. Smith said. Gates, who caught 13 touchdown passes in 2004, an NFL record for a tight end, wants to be paid in line with the top tight ends in the league. The Chargers do not agree Gates should be compensated akin to veterans such as Tony Gonzalez and Todd Heap after just two years. "We're the football team," Smith said. "We decide who gets a contract, how much they get and for how long."