It’s been more than a month since Joey Bosa signed his rookie contract.

Despite recent strides, the wait surrounding his NFL debut will extend at least another week.

“We’re making progress,” Bosa said Friday. “I’m getting close.”

The Chargers have ruled out their defensive end for Sunday’s game against the Saints, officially making a wash of the first quarter of his 2016 season. Bosa was one of three starters listed as out while two others are doubtful, and three are questionable. He signed his deal in late August but began missing time to a hamstring injury shortly thereafter.


Cornerback Brandon Flowers (concussion) and safety Jahleel Addae (clavicle) are out as well. Left tackle King Dunlap (migraines) and tight end Antonio Gates (hamstring) are doubtful. None of those four practiced this week.

Left guard Orlando Franklin (back), right tackle Joe Barksdale (foot) and inside linebacker Jatavis Brown (hamstring) are questionable. Brown and Franklin practiced Friday in a limited fashion. Barksdale was given a rest day.

Bosa, 21, could make his debut as early as Week 5 in Oakland.

But given the month wait after the Chargers reported to training camp until he signed and now the ongoing month-plus wait after he signed for him to see his first regular-season action, the focus is to ensure all this waiting is worth it and any avoidable setback is averted.


It’s not just about getting Bosa on the field.

It’s about getting it right.

“Like I said before, we’re just taking it one day at a time,” Bosa said. “But the progress really has been picking up these last few weeks. I’m feeling good. … We’re just being smart. There’s no point to rush someone back and then he gets hurt and is out for longer when we got a really long season ahead of us. It’s only Week 4. We’ve got plenty more games to look forward to. …

“You don’t want to come back at 90 percent and not play as yourself, or as myself.”


Bosa added he feels as good he has since arriving this summer Chargers Park, “very close” and “getting there” in relation to where he was at Ohio State.

Chargers players reported to training camp on July 29. Bosa signed his contract Aug. 29. This past Thursday marked the one-month mark since that signing. It seems like immaterial now, given the costly price of the sideline, but one core reason for the contract dispute was the percentage of his $17,017,212 million signing bonus that would be paid out this calendar year.

Bosa collected $11 million shortly after signing.

He is scheduled to receive another $1,732,315 on Oct. 15 and a second payment of that same amount on Dec. 5. The remainder of bonus, worth $ $2,552,582, or 15 percent of the total bonus amount, will be received on March 15, 2017.


That dispute now will be better remembered for a different percentage figure.

Twenty-five, as is one quarter of a season lost.

“Like I’ve been saying all along, we’re going one day at a time with him,” coach Mike McCoy said. “Kind of take a step here, a step there, push him a little more every day. When he’s ready, however we determine that, when we determine that, all these little things of ‘now go cut it loose’ — I mean, (I’m) saying the same things we’ve been saying forever. …

“I keep on saying (one day at a time); I hate to say that every day. But it’s the way it is.”


michael.gehlken@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @SDUTgehlken