Eric D. Williams, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Chargers GM Tom Telesco unsure if Joey Bosa deal gets done before camp

SAN DIEGO -- The impasse between the San Diego Chargers and rookie Joey Bosa continues with no end in sight, according to general manager Tom Telesco.

“I don’t know,” Telesco told The Mighty 1090 AM radio in San Diego, when asked if he had any expectations that Bosa would show up for the start of training camp on Saturday. “I guess we’ll see. I really don’t know if he’ll [show up]. We’re still working on it. Hopefully we’ll get something done, but I don’t know.”

Telesco said the organization has had ongoing conversations with Bosa’s representation, but the two sides have not come to a resolution.

Bosa missed two days of organized team activities and San Diego’s mandatory minicamp in June over the contract dispute.

At issue for Bosa’s camp is the use of offset language in the deal and deferred bonus money.

Traditionally, the Chargers have had offset language included in players’ contracts to protect the franchise from paying a player’s full salary in the unlikely event that San Diego releases a player during the guaranteed portion of their deal.

Offset language allows the organization to pay the remaining portion of a player’s salary not covered by the new team that signs the released player. Without offset language, a player can “double dip,” receiving a full salary from his previous team along with whatever money is negotiated with the new team.

The Chargers also have heartburn over paying a portion of Bosa’s deferred signing bonus sooner.

Again, traditionally the Chargers defer or extend the payment of some of the signing-bonus money over the life of a rookie contract. Bosa’s camp would like some signing-bonus money paid earlier.

Bosa is one of three first-round picks that remain unsigned. The others are LB Darron Lee, selected No. 20 by the New York Jets, and OL Joshua Garnett, the No. 28 pick by the San Francisco 49ers.

All three players are represented by agents from CAA.

“We’ve never really had an issue signing draft picks since I’ve been here,” Telesco told The Mighty 1090. “We’ve actually been one of the quicker teams in getting guys done. Especially when it’s not really over money -- or guaranteed money -- I know people get puzzled by it.

“But it really just comes down to generally this -- there’s some things that are negotiable, and money always is negotiable, obviously -- but there’s certain things in contracts language-wise, whether you’re picked third, 33rd or 203rd, there’s certain things of consistency and doing things the same way for everyone on the team.

“And we’re far from uncommon with how we work. I know a lot of other teams probably operate the same way. We try to keep some things constant in everyone’s contract, whether you’re Philip Rivers or the 85th guy on the football team. So that’s kind of where we are. We’re still working through it.”

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