The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4. Chargers play hard ball
Chargers rescind ‘best offer’ to No. 3 overall draft pick.
Defensive end Joey Bosa’s holdout turned ugly Wednesday when the San Diego Chargers pulled their contract offer to the first-round draft pick from Ohio State and said they’ll restructure a new deal that would reflect him playing less than a full season.
The Chargers called it their “best offer.” And now, it is gone. San Diego offered No. 3 overall draft pick Joey Bosa on Tuesday the highest cash payout in the initial calendar year for a first-round draft pick in team history, a source said Wednesday. It was declined.
Having communicated to Bosa’s agent, Brian Ayrault, the offer was the best one coming, the Chargers rescinded the proposal, citing that Bosa’s ability to a contribute over a full 16-game season in 2016.
The Chargers and Ayrault have been unable to close the gap over how much of Bosa’s $17 million signing bonus will be paid out in 2016, the remainder being deferred into next March.
San Diego’s best offer featured an 85 percent cash payout in 2016, sources said, or $14,464,630. While a source said Ayrault has budged from seeking a 100 percent cash payout of Bosa’s bonus in 2016, it was felt the payout percentage was not large enough to end an impasse that has forced Bosa to miss all of training camp and now likely all of the preseason.
Redskins: Acquired center Bryan Stork from the Patriots for an undisclosed draft pick. Stork appeared in 21 games the past two seasons, but started just six in 2015 after spending time on the physically unable to perform list with concussion and neck issues. The 25-year-old started the Super Bowl two seasons ago.
Stork, a fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft, went into training camp in competition for the starting center job with the Patriots, but suffered his fourth concussion in four years. The trade opens the door for second-year player David Andrews, who replaced Stork for 10 games last season.
49ers: Colin Kaepernick is on track to make his first appearance of the preseason Friday night against the Packers after his tired shoulder made it through a full week of practice without any limitations.
“Everything has been going great,” Kaepernick said. “Everything has been going as planned. I’m excited to get back out there Friday.”
Vikings: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said he expects to play in Sunday’s U.S. Bank Stadium preseason opener. Bridgewater returned on a limited basis Tuesday during practice, taking part in short-yardage and red-zone situations while stepping aside when quarterbacks lined up for deep passes in individual drills. He was a last-minute scratch of last week’s preseason game in Seattle, reportedly dealing with a sore shoulder.
Panthers: Coach Ron Rivera said defensive tackle Kawann Short is “too important a player” for the Panthers not to sign him to a long-term contract. Short has one year remaining on his rookie deal. He recorded 11 sacks last season while being named NFC Player of the Month twice.
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman has a policy of not negotiating once the regular season begins, so the Panthers essentially have two weeks to strike a deal.
Giants: A visibly shaken club owner John Mara said he was fine with the NFL’s suspension of kicker Josh Brown for one game, despite allegations Brown abused his ex-wife as many as 20 times prior to the Giants signing Brown to a two-year extension last spring.
“One of the things you learn is that there is a big difference between allegations and convictions,” Mara said in an emotional address to the media.