When a player is drafted into today’s NFL it is relatively easy to get him under contract. The Collective Bargaining Agreement, created in 2011, basically assisted the owners with ready-made contracts. These require little to no negotiation. The result would be less holdouts. That was until 2016. Joey Bosa, taken 4th overall by the San Diego Chargers, is the only draft choice that is unsigned. Why does he remain unsigned? I will explain why and how does this hurt or help him below.
Bosa and the Chargers are at an impasse over what is called offset language. Bosa wants to make sure that he is paid, from the Chargers, in case he is released or traded before the end of the contract. Yes, the team that signs him as well would also pay Bosa. The Chargers do not want this to happen. That hurts their salary cap if they have to take a hit on that “dead” money.
Does this holdout hurt Bosa or the Chargers? If Joey Bosa is staying in football shape then the only thing the holdout is doing is hurting his chances with the Chargers. He is not learning his teammates or the defensive playbook. That is what camp is for. Bosa needs this time to prepare for a long 17-week season in the NFL.
The Holdout hurts the Chargers by not getting their top-tier pick into camp. The Chargers had until August 9th at 2pm EST to trade Bosa’s rights to another team. They failed to find a trade partner. Joey Bosa is not property of the Chargers for the rest of the season. If Bosa is not signed by week 10 then he must sit out the entire season. If the Chargers and Bosa still do not reach an agreement before the 2017 NFL Draft, then Bosa can re-enter the draft.
The San Diego Chargers and Joey Bosa have not talked in weeks. It does not look like there are any negotiations in the future either. If there is no contract, does this make Bosa the #1 pick in 2017 or does his stock fall out of the first round? This has the makings of a long drawn out situation. How will it end? Stay tuned!