Ohio State: Joey Bosa Has Options Regarding His Contract

Could former Ohio State defensive lineman Joey Bosa not sign at all with his new team, the San Diego Chargers? It very well could happen.

Every update regarding Ohio State great Joey Bosa and the Chargers has been the same for a while now: Both parties are not speaking to one another. Both parties also have their own valid points as to why they are not backing down from their specific beliefs during this negotiation.

Each day the former Ohio State product is losing valuable reps and experience holding out. It is unclear if Bosa would have this stance had he been chosen elsewhere. It is hard to believe that such a situation would in fact be different.

Yet, San Diego did their homework on Bosa while he was at Ohio State. Had they known Bosa would be unsigned at this point, would the Chargers have even have drafted him in the first place? Many Chargers and Ohio State fans likely are pondering that very question right now.

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San Diego’s preseason is rapidly getting closer. If Bosa does not sign quickly, the 2016 season could be a complete waste for him. Speaking of not signing, what if Bosa does not before San Diego’s first regular season game?

Nothing is impacted, but there are options Bosa could be using as leverage. Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio broke down various scenarios Bosa and the Chargers could be involved in.

"Bosa can sign at any time through the Tuesday after Week 10. Beyond that point, he can’t play in 2016. After the season, the Chargers would retain exclusive rights to him until the 2017 draft begins. At that point, Bosa would re-enter the draft."

Of those two scenarios, the more impactful one would be where Bosa could enter next year’s draft. Putting himself back into an NFL draft could be very costly for Bosa. Right now he would have a guaranteed contract worth 10s of millions of dollars.

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Right now, Bosa is trying to adjust specific details regarding when he is paid, but he ultimately still will get the same amount of money. Being in the draft poll next year (with many more Ohio State players) after all of this has happened could easily drop him out of the first round.

Teams are not going to want to play games, which is why Bosa sliding down the draft boards would be a real possibility. I would not be surprised if he ended up being a day three pick because of that. Such a situation is very different from the MLB draft where players get drafted, do not signed, and a good portion gets drafted even higher later on.

Whether he likes it or not, Bosa’s best deal is the one San Diego has been trying to offer him. Florio did mention one last scenario however, and that is the possibility of a trade. Ohio State fans could get to watch him more often this way as long as he does not get potentially dealt to another west coast team.

There has been no rumors or trade discussions, but if a trade were to be completed, it would have to be done very soon.

"Under the CBA, they can trade Bosa’s rights up until the 30th day before the start of the regular season. The regular season begins on September 8, with the Panthers visiting the Broncos. The Chargers have until Tuesday, August 9 to send his rights to another team. Next: AP Named OSU As Top All-Time Football Program"

Right now a trade may be in the best interest for both the player and the team. However, long-term, San Diego needs a defensive end so a trade is unlikely. It is just a matter of time before this is resolved, but the unwillingness to negotiate must stop regardless.