San Diego's three-day mandatory minicamp kicked off Tuesday without any sign of rookie pass-rusher Joey Bosa.
The No. 3 overall pick in the draft is staying away from practice because of a stalemate in negotiations with the Chargers over his rookie contract, a source informed of the negotiations told NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union Tribune first reported the news, noting that Bosa also missed Thursday's final OTA practice for the same reason.
"We're disappointed he's not here," said Chargers general manager Tom Telesco. "This is a big part of the learning process for all players, not just rookies. But there is part of a business to this too, and we understand that. It's part of being a professional athlete.
"I'll say the time he's been here, (we've) been really impressed by not only his ability, but his work ethic. That's been great. But that all being said, we've got to treat all of our players the same. That's the big thing. We can't do one thing different for one guy and the same for 89 others. These things tend to get worked out. It's June, and we'll just keep going."
In today's world of slotted rookie contracts, Bosa's absence is unusual. The former Ohio State star is the only unsigned pick among the draft's top 19 selections.
The issue centers around offset language, per Rapoport, with Bosa's representation pushing for a pact stripped of those terms. The rookie's camp reportedly wants a deal that would guarantee pay for Bosa's first four seasons, even if he's released before it ends. The Chargers haven't veered away from offset language with any of their previous four first-round picks.
A second issue stems from the payout of Bosa's signing bonus: Will it be fully paid out in seven months or after that period?
Bosa can't be fined for missing minicamp because he's not under contract. While it's an unexpected hiccup for the Chargers, we don't expect negotiations to ultimately effect what Bosa will accomplish in San Diego. He'll make his money -- and then he'll be under pressure to earn it right away.
