General Manager Tom Telesco stood Tuesday morning near the Chargers practice field, listing all the positive attributes — arrives early, stays late, motor, size, athleticism, hand use, competitive — his first-round pick has exhibited in the past month. A hundred feet away, about 1,000 season-ticket holders lined the field fence and filled the bleachers.

Some came with signs for Bosa. Others had No. 99 jerseys they hoped he’d sign.

Bad news.

The exhibit is closed indefinitely.


The Chargers began their three-day minicamp Tuesday without their No. 3 overall pick. Attendance is mandatory for all players under contract, and there is the rub. Bosa’s camp has advised him to hold out amid a stalemate in negotiations.

The former Ohio State defensive end skipped last Thursday’s final OTA practice for the same reason, sources said. His absence at the voluntary session, which was closed to reporters, gave the Chargers indication he might miss Tuesday, too.

“We’re disappointed he’s not here,” Telesco said. “This is a big part of the learning process for all players, not just rookies. But there’s a business part to this (game), too, and we understand that. It’s part of being a professional athlete. I’ll say: the time he’s been here, I’ve been really impressed with not only his ability but his work ethic. That’s been great.

“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 work out. It’s June. We’ll just keep going.”


1 / 34 San Diego Chargers Keenan Allen signs autographs after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 2 / 34 San Diego Chargers fans Donald Inman and son Colt get an autograph from Denzel Perryman after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 3 / 34 San Diego Chargers Keenan Allen goes in Snapchat with fans after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 4 / 34 San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett signs autographs after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 5 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 6 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 7 / 34 San Diego Chargers fans Donald Inman and son Colt wait for an autograph after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 8 / 34 San Diego Chargers King Dunlap signs autographs after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 9 / 34 A San Diego Chargers fan holds up a license plate after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 10 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 11 / 34 San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers drops back during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 12 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 13 / 34 San Diego Chargers Antonio Gates looks on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 14 / 34 San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett, left, Brandon Flowers, Casey Hayward and Jahleel Addae look on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 15 / 34 San Diego Chargers Tyrell Williams gets by Jerry Attaochu, 97, during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 16 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers throws a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 17 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers calls out a play to Hunter Henry (86) during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 18 / 34 San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates catches a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 19 / 34 San Diego Chargers Melvin Gordon runs a play during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 20 / 34 San Diego Chargers Danny Woodhead gets a drink during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 21 / 34 San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett catches a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 22 / 34 San Diego Chargers fans get a look of drills during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 23 / 34 San Diego Chargers receiver Keenan Allen stretches during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 24 / 34 San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates stretches during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 25 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers hands off to Danny Woodhead during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 26 / 34 San Diego Chargers Antonio Gates and Philip Rivers (17) joke during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 27 / 34 San Diego Chargers coach Mike McCoy looks on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 28 / 34 San Diego Chargers Danny Woodhead lines up during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 29 / 34 San Diego Chargers center Matt Slauson lines up during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 30 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers throws a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 31 / 34 San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates lines up during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 32 / 34 San Diego Chargers Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett (22) joke during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 33 / 34 San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano looks on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 34 / 34 San Diego Chargers Denzel Perryman greets Damion Square (71) during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred)

This situation is rather unusual. Bosa is the last of the top 19 selections in April’s draft to be unsigned. All of the Chargers’ draft picks last year were signed before the team’s May rookie minicamp.

Tedious and prolonged rookie-contract negotiations became less frequent under the NFL’s 2011 collective bargaining agreement. It set a wage scale based on selection order and simplified the wiggle room of negotiations between teams and player representatives, streamlining the process in turn. What was once an elaborate dinner recipe now came pre-packaged and oven-ready, largely rendering summer holdouts a thing of the past.

Here in June, the Chargers and Bosa’s rep disagree on a couple key ingredients.


Per sources familiar with negotiations, a main hurdle relates to offset language. Bosa’s representation is pushing for there to be none. That would mean the Chargers pay him all of his four-year guaranteed contract — it will include a fifth-year team option — even if they release him sometime during it. Theoretically, Bosa thereby can double-dip and be paid full salaries from the Chargers and any new team with whom he signs. Again, all this comes into play in the unlikely event Bosa is released during the coming few years.

If there is offset language, the Chargers are off the hook for Bosa’s salary with his new team, only owing him the difference between the two salaries.

The inclusion of offset language is fairly standard in NFL contracts, particularly those with large sums of guaranteed money. When the Chargers extended Philip Rivers last year, the deal included offset language. When it drafted offensive lineman D.J. Fluker, cornerback Jason Verrett and running back Melvin Gordon in recent first rounds, there was offset language. By and large, it can be found in any major, recent contract the team has done.

It is steadfast about not making an exception here.


Offset language is a common battleground for teams selecting high in the draft. Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in 2015, was unsigned until a few days before training camp because of the detail. Ultimately, a compromise was reached. Of the top-five draft picks in the 2015 and 2016 drafts, six of the nine have offset language. Jaguars linebacker Dante Fowler, the No. 3 pick last year, had no offset language in his deal. First overall pick and Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston did.

The importance placed on this contract point varies from franchise to franchise.

How cashflow is dispersed in a deal can be tweaked in order to settle such dilemmas. This also is a point of contention in Bosa’s negotiation. Sources said that the Chargers prefer to defer Bosa’s signing bonus — this is a regular practice; eight of the other nine top-five picks since 2015 have deferred at least a portion of their signing bonus rather than it all being paid up front — while Bosa’s representation prefers more money to be paid earlier. Either way, Bosa will collect the bonus in its entirety.

It may seem like a lose-lose for both parties. And for Bosa, who surely wants to practice and continue his encouraging development with his new teammates, it likely is especially frustrating.


But the Chargers and Bosa stand apart in these finer aspects of his contract.

And so, for these final practices of the spring, they’ll stand apart on the field.