The situation between Joey Bosa and the San Diego Chargers regarding his rookie contract remains tenuous.
That became clear after the team released a statement Wednesday detailing that the two parties are still far apart on terms of the contract. According to the team, their best offer was extended to Bosa in recent days. Nevertheless, the third overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft declined to sign the deal and will continue to hold out.
Chargers proposed to Joey Bosa what they made clear is their best offer, source says. It was declined. Offer pulled. Two sides are nowhere.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 24, 2016
The Chargers elaborated upon the enhanced terms they extended to Bosa in their recent offer. The signing bonus associated with the contract was set to be the largest for any rookie over the past two drafts. Only second overall pick Carson Wentz was set to receive more money during the 2016 calendar year. And the Fort Lauderdale, FL native would also become the highest paid Chargers rookie since the existing collective bargaining agreement was finalized in 2011.
The primary source of the disagreement between Bosa and the Chargers has to do with language regarding the signing bonus. In particular, the contract continues to not include a clause that allows for the bonus to be paid out immediately. It also reportedly remains devoid of offset language.
As a result of the continued distance between the two sides on a deal, it appears likely that Bosa’s holdout will extend past the preseason. This undoubtedly has its own implications as it relates to how a future restructured deal from the team will look like.
Bosa was the most sought after prospect on the defensive front in this year’s draft. The 21-year-old had a standout collegiate career with Ohio State. He was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 after a dominant season that included 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for the loss. The Buckeyes would close out the season as national champions after winning the inaugural College Football Playoff.
The entirety of the Chargers statement can be viewed below.
Statement from the San Diego Chargers on defensive end Joey Bosa. pic.twitter.com/BayBGeN22x
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 24, 2016
