The San Diego Chargers v. Joey Bosa

I mean, what the actual f***?

The objective from the moment Joey Bosa hoisted a #1 San Diego Chargers jersey on the stage at the NFL Draft should have been to get the kid on the field as soon as possible.

That’s just me as a fan trying to over-simplify how this mess of a contract negotiation should’ve been avoided. It’s also not exactly off the mark, if you’re most NFL teams. Last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Jameis Winston the day after making him the first overall pick in the draft.

The San Diego Chargers, on the other hand, apparently believe they can’t just give rookies everything they want. Traditionally, the Chargers include offset language in their rookies’ contracts, and they don’t pay the signing bonus all up front.

Bosa and his representation initially wanted both the offset language to be nixed and for the signing bonus to paid in full before the end of the calendar year. When the Chargers first indicated they weren’t budging, Bosa’s camp said it was willing to accept either the offset language or the deferred signing bonus, but not both. Still the Chargers wouldn’t budge, and that’s pretty much it.

As Max Kellerman argued on SportsCententer, “that’s not a negotiation.”

If you haven’t read the 1,000 articles explaining the standoff between the two (here’s one), I’m truly shocked you clicked the link to what is surely the 1,000th accompanying think piece on this ridiculous situation.

As a Chargers fan who’s watched the team get progressively worse for years (despite Philip Rivers’ refusal to regress — much), I equate the team’s need for Bosa to the Colts’ need of a QB when they drafted Andrew Luck.

Last year, the Chargers defensive unit rated poorly across the board despite some real talent in the secondary. Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett are quality corners, and Eric Weddle is one of the league’s best safeties and still they had trouble keeping opposing teams from moving down the field. A big reason why was the team’s weak defensive line and below-average pass rush.

So, back to that Colts-Luck comparison. Bosa helps the Chargers with both issues right away. At Ohio State he played primarily at defensive end, but he sometimes moved inside, where he was an effective run stopper. Though the Chargers have some promising young linebackers and defensive linemen, none came to the NFL as readymade as Bosa.

But the reasoning for getting Bosa onto the field — with the full team, not just at rookie camp — is easing his transition from Ohio State’s 4–3 scheme to the Chargers’ 3–4 scheme. Bosa is undersized for an inside lineman, but larger than most outside linebackers. What will make him able to play both (when he’s not lining up as a defensive end) is surprising athleticism, football instincts and a literally ferocious motor.

This is a highlight reel from 2015, when he was the focal point of every opposing offensive line.

The Chargers allowed 17 rushing touchdowns last year (fourth-worst in the league), 125.3 rushing yards per game (sixth-worst in the league) and 4.8 yards per rushing attempt (second-worst in the league). Because opposing offenses could run the ball with little resistance, the Chargers’ secondary was essentially useless.

Given Bosa’s versatility and work ethic, it was reasonable to expect him to be an impact player on defense this season. So it’s quite confusing why the team won’t just give up on enforcing a rule that really doesn’t work under the current collective bargaining agreement — more on that later.

Well, they’re paying a lot of money to a player who’s no longer on the team, inside linebacker Donald Butler. They’re trying to build a young core around Rivers, but are cash-strapped because of the his and other heavy contracts on the payroll, which have consequently made the team wary of busted contracts.

Fine. Bosa isn’t the first rookie to hold out and he won’t be the last. He’s also not the first Charger to hold out. Rivers himself was a hold out. But what has now set apart this standoff is the moronic statement the Chargers released publicly, condemning Bosa for not accepting their latest offer.

The Chargers tried to appear as though they’ve done more to compromise than Bosa’s camp has. Even if that was true, why broadcast it? Naturally, Bosa’s representation hit the Chargers with a classic “we weren’t going to say anything, but since you want to make this a street fight…” reply. Seriously, that statement was a Godsend to Bosa’s camp.

The Chargers argued their proposal for Bosa’s payout would have given him so much money by the end of 2016 it simply has to be fair, even if it wasn’t all up front. Third-overall draft picks are expensive, and they always have been, but the CBA agreement sets parameters for negotiating contracts with any and all rookies. The dollars and cents are all teams can really negotiate with players. However, since the CBA was established in 2011, every no. 3 draft pick has received his full signing bonus before the end of the calendar year or had the offset language removed.

It’s not clear how much Bosa wants his signing bonus to be worth, he just wants it all before the end of 2016. If the Chargers were so willing to give Bosa such a large portion of a signing bonus it would’ve dwarfed what most rookies received in total, then why not just give him a massive signing bonus up front?

Because at this point it’s a staring contest. Because the Chargers know playing football this season is in Bosa’s best interest. Because the organization wants to stick to its policy and not set a precedent for future draft picks.

In the past six seasons, the Chargers have made the postseason once; they went 9–7 in 2013, won in the wild card round and then lost to the Broncos. The Chargers followed that up by going 9–7 again, though they missed the playoffs, and then 3–13 last season.

The Chargers’ way of doing business isn’t working.