Today’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Updated on June 25th, 2016 3:32pm CT
The overwhelming majority of the rookies in the 2016 draft class have officially signed. However, as we approach July, we still have a small group of stragglers. Seven rookies have yet to put pen to paper with their respective teams and that group includes three first-rounders: Joey Bosa (Chargers, No. 3), Darron Lee (Jets, No. 20) and Joshua Garnett (49ers, No. 28). 
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Bosa, of course, stands as the most high-profile player yet to sign his rookie pact and his negotiations are also the most public of the bunch. This week, agent Todd France and team president of football operations John Spanos both discussed the negotiations in radio interviews and it appears that the two sides aren’t even in agreement as to what the disagreement is all about. Spanos says the two sides are hung up on the idea of offset language. France, meanwhile, says there are other reasons behind the protracted talks, including cash flow.
The latest Collective Bargaining Agreement has made rookie contracts much simpler than they used to be. Every rookie from No. 1 through (roughly) No. 256 receives a four-year deal with varying salary amounts based on where they are selected. However, offset language is among the key clauses which may be discussed. If a player with offset language in his contract his released midway through the deal, the original team is only on the hook for the difference in salary between the two contracts. Without offset language, the player can effectively double dip and collect two paychecks. Naturally, there are many player agents who are disinclined to forfeit that potential earning power.
Of the seven players without signed deals, four of those players are third-round picks. That’s because contracts in the third round are, for some reason, far less regulated than the rest of the draft. While third round picks have slotted signing bonuses like everyone else, the base salaries can be brokered and that’s probably at least part of the holdup for these four rookies. However, one pattern to note is that first-rounders Bosa, Lee, Fuller, and Garnett are all represented by powerhouse agency CAA.
Here is the complete list of 2016 rookies who have yet to complete their contracts with signatures and initials:
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
It’s late June and the Chargers have yet to sign Joey Bosa, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. The two sides were said to be haggling over offset language, though agent Todd France tells Alex Marvez of Sirius XM that the negotiations are more complicated than that. 
[RELATED: Why The Chargers Could Sign Eugene Monroe]
“You are a little more boxed in from the pure dollar standpoint, total dollars, but there are a lot of moving parts,” he said (transcript via NFL.com). “Language-wise, there’s different things you can look at. And, then, obviously, how you structure it, especially in those top 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 picks in the first round, whether those bonuses in the second and third, fourth year — those training-camp roster bonuses — do you not want those? What’s the cash flow? What’s the deferral? Those types of things.”
Meanwhile, Chargers’ president of football operations John Spanos claims that offset language is the main hangup in getting a deal formally signed.
“I would say that there are a lot of things in our business that come with the territory and negotiating contracts are one of them. That’s part of the business,” he told 1090 in San Diego. “Was it disappointing to have 89 players instead of 90 in for camp? Sure. But these things tend to work themselves out and the good thing was, when Joey Bosa was here he looks great.”
With no offset language, the Chargers would pay Bosa the balance of his four-year guaranteed contract even if they release him midway through the deal. Then, theoretically, Bosa could collect two salaries upon signing elsewhere. With offset language in place, the Chargers would be off the hook for Bosa’s salary with his new team, paying him only the difference. The Bolts see offset language as the biggest barrier to a deal, but Bosa’s agent apparently has other qualms outside of that.
Before acquiring the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, the Eagles reached out to Carson Wentz‘s camp to confirm that he would agree to offsets. However, the Rams do not believe in offset language and, subsequently, they did not include offsets in their deal with No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff. I would imagine that the precedent set by the Rams in this year’s draft has been brought up quite a bit from Bosa’s side of the table.
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
After selecting Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley in the first round of the April’s draft, the Ravens tried to trade veteran left tackle Eugene Monroe. However, Baltimore was unable to find a taker on the trade market and on Wednesday the team cut him loose.
Yes, there are some red flags for Monroe. For starters, the tackle has missed 16 games with injury over the past two years. Monroe has also been a vocal advocate for marijuana to be removed from the league’s banned substance list and Baltimore officials apparently took umbrage with his focus in that area.
However, there’s also a lot to like. When healthy, Monroe can be an impact player and can slide into the starting lineup for several NFL teams. Where could Monroe wind up? Here’s our list of the eight teams who could make a play for him:
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Arizona Cardinals — Left tackle isn’t a concern in the desert, as Jared Veldheer will continue to handle Carson Palmer‘s blindside, but right tackle is a bit more murky. After losing both Bobby Massie and Bradley Sowell to free agency, the Cardinals are counting on 2015 first-round pick D.J. Humphries to take on a starting role. Humphries didn’t play a single snap during his rookie season, and frustrated Arizona management to the point that head coach Bruce Arians began referring to him as “knee deep” (re: Arians’ knee vs. Humphries’ posterior). If Humphries has matured over the past year or so, adding Monroe to play on the right side wouldn’t make much sense. But if the Cardinals still have questions about their talented yet raw sophomore tackle, Monroe could be a welcome veteran addition.
Chicago Bears — Finding a starting left tackle in the seventh round — as the Bears did with Charles Leno in 2014 — is certainly an accomplishment, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that Leno simply wasn’t that productive during the 2015 campaign. In 16 games (13 starts), Leno graded out as just the 55th-best tackle in the NFL among 77 qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus. If Chicago wants to contend in 2016, it will need better play on the blindside, and Monroe would almost certainly represent an upgrade, acting as a finishing touch to an offensive line that’s already seen additions such as Bobby Massie, Nate Chandler, and Cody Whitehair over the past several months.
Indianapolis Colts — The Colts are clearly intent on keeping Andrew Luck upright in 2016, having spent three draft picks on offensive linemen in April. While some of the spots along Indy’s front five are settled, right tackle could be up for grabs (although general manager Ryan Grigson had said he’d like to see Joe Reitz win the job). The Colts haven’t been shy about acquiring veterans in the past, having sacrificed draft pick compensation for Vontae Davis, Trent Richardson, Billy Winn, and others in recent years. If the club wants a solid veteran to lock down the right side, instead of relying on a cavalcade of mid-tier options, Monroe could be on their radar.
New England Patriots — Like the Colts, the Patriots have utilized trades to augment their roster — in 2015, they made a league-leading nine deals with other clubs, and they’ve acquired veterans such as Akeem Ayers, Keshawn Martin, Jonathan Casillas, Jonathan Bostic, and Akiem Hicks via the trade route over the past several years. In a trade, Monroe would have been a different animal, as he’s a more high-profile name and costs more than any of the players brought in by New England via swap recently. Now, he holds even more appeal as a free agent. If the Pats did sign Monroe to man right tackle, they’d likely release fellow offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer or Marcus Cannon (or both). On the surface, Monroe doesn’t seem like a Bill Belichick-esque addition, but New England has made surprising moves in the past.
New York Giants — Many draft observers believed Giants 2015 first-round pick Ereck Flowers was best-suited to play guard or right tackle out of the gate. Instead, New York plugged him in on the left side following an injury to Will Beatty, and Flowers proceeded to grade out as one of the four worst blindside protectors in the league, per PFF. Veteran Marshall Newhouse, the club’s projected right tackle, also ranked as a bottom-10 option at the position. The Giants need help up front, perhaps more so than any team in the NFL outside of Seattle, so it was no surprise to learn that they were talking trade with Baltimore prior to Monroe’s release and have already started courting him since he became a free agent.
San Diego Chargers — Shortly after word leaked out regarding Monroe’s release, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Chargers as a potential suitor along with the Seahawks and Giants. On the surface, the Chargers seem adequately set at tackle with King Dunlap covering Philip Rivers‘ blindside and Joe Barksdale at right tackle. Still, while Barksdale graded out as the No. 21 overall tackle in the NFL last year according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Dunlap has been injury prone in the past.
San Francisco 49ers — By almost any metric, San Francisco’s offensive line was among the worst in the NFL last season. The unit ranked second with 53 sacks allowed, and placed 31st in pass protection and 32nd in run blocking according to Football Outsiders’ data. All-Pro Joe Staley clearly isn’t a problem at left tackle, but uninspiring options such as Erik Pears and Trent Brown are among the candidates to start opposite him on the right side. The 49ers are in the midst of a complete rebuild, so perhaps adding a veteran like Monroe doesn’t make sense given their current roster makeup. But keeping Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick (or whomever else starts at quarterback in 2016) off the ground should still be a goal, and Monroe would signify an improvement.
Seattle Seahawks — The Seahawks are mentioned in connection with nearly every available offensive lineman, but the club simply hasn’t shown any willingness to invest in its front five. After losing Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy in free agency, Seattle will rely on the likes of Garry Gilliam, Bradley Sowell, J’Marcus Webb, and Mark Glowinski up front. Offensive line coach Tom Cable is regarded as a masterful teacher, and he can probably turn some of those unheralded options into contributors. But it’s hard to imagine that the Seahawks would turn down an opportunity to add an immediate starter like Monroe, especially if the asking price is minimal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
8:41pm: The Giants began pursuing Monroe as soon as the Ravens released him, and there’s a “decent chance” New York will land the lineman, reports Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
4:33pm: Monroe is in no hurry to find his next team, a source told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. He is fully healthy, according to the source, who confirmed to Schwartz that the Giants did try to trade for him (Twitter links).
3:20pm: The Ravens officially announced Monroe’s release.
2:30pm: After trade talks with Giants fell through, the Ravens have elected to release offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). He’s now a free agent and the Giants, Chargers, and Seahawks are among the teams that could have interest.
[RELATED: 8 NFL Teams That Could Sign Eugene Monroe]
This week, the Ravens decided to shop veteran the left tackle after watching him miss a great deal of games in recent years. Monroe has also been extremely vocal about his pro-medical marijuana stance and his efforts to have marijuana removed from the league’s list of banned substances did not sit well with team ownership. The 29-year-old Monroe has missed 16 games with injury over the past two years and had cap charges approaching $9MM in each of the next three years.
By releasing Monroe, the Ravens will be left with $2.2MM in dead money while realizing $6.5MM in cap savings this year. They’ll also be on the hook for a combined $4.4MM in dead cash the next two seasons, though they’d save $13.5MM in that time. Prior to releasing Monroe, the Ravens attempted to get Monroe to accept a salary cut, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Monroe has obviously not lived up to the expectations set for him when he inked a five-year, $37.5MM contract with Baltimore prior to the 2014 season, but he could be an impact addition for another club if he can stay healthy. One also has to imagine that other clubs could be more accepting of Monroe’s pro-pot crusade.
Earlier today, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ran down the most logical fits for Monroe.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
The June minicamp is underway, but it is not mandatory for rookie Joey Bosa since he is still not under contract. Bosa’s reps have advised him to hold out amid a stalemate in contract negotiations, a source tells Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego.
The majority of this year’s rookies have already signed their deals, but Bosa’s camp wants no offset language in his contract. With no offset language, the Chargers would pay Bosa the balance of his four-year guaranteed contract even if they release him sometime during it. Then, theoretically, Bosa could collect two salaries upon signing elsewhere. With offset language in place, the Chargers would be off the hook for Bosa’s salary with his new team, paying him only the difference. The two sides also are in disagreement about the deal’s cash flow.
The most recent collective bargaining agreement has largely made rookie contract disputes a thing of the past, but there are still instances where teams and players will clash over offset language. Last year, the Titans did not sign No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota until July after extended haggling.
The Ohio State product was widely projected to be a top 10 pick in this year’s draft, but few pundits saw the Chargers pouncing on him at No. 3. While teams traded into the top 2 picks to select quarterbacks, the Bolts were more than happy to stay put and grab Bosa.
One year ago, the Chargers locked up quarterback Philip Rivers. Over the weekend, the Bolts extended one of his top targets.
Michael Gehlken of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the Chargers have agreed to a four-year extension with wideout Keenan Allen. NFL Network’s Rand Getlin tweets that the deal is worth $45MM, with at least $24MM in guaranteed money, including a $9.5MM signing bonus. ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan writes that the deal is expected to be “finalized and signed” in the coming days. The team confirmed the agreement on their website.
This is quite the pay increase for Allen, as the former third-round pick signed a four-year, $2.8MM contract after being drafted in 2013. Since that time, the 24-year-old has established himself as one of Rivers’ favorite wide receivers. The former California Golden Bear compiled 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns during his rookie season, and he followed that up with a 77-catch campaign in 2014. Allen was on track to set several career-highs in 2015 before a kidney laceration ended his season.
Allen will receive $21.656MM fully guaranteed, which includes his 2016 base salary of $1.656MM, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The deal also includes another $2.5MM in injury guarantees, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
Allen can earn $2MM for 2019 if he catches 90 passes and the Chargers make the postseason or if he catches 100 passes and the club wins eight games in 2016, 2017, or 2018. For 2020, Allen can make $2MM if, after unlocking the extra $2MM for 2019, he reaches 90 catches and San Diego makes the playoffs, or he logs 80 catches and the team reaches eight wins, before the 2020 season.
Having been eligible for an extension since March, Gehlken notes that the two sides have been working on a new contract since the conclusion of the NFL draft. A five-year deal was reportedly discussed, but the current deal will allow Allen to hit free agency before he turns 30-years-old. A presumed $11MM annual salary would rank eighth in the league among receivers, tied with Larry Fitzgerald and Jeremy Maclin.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Chargers received the necessary 110,000+ votes to place their citizens’ initiative measure on the November ballot for the purposes of unlocking funds for a downtown stadium, Dan McSwain of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
“Most signature gathering efforts of this kind take six full months. We had just six weeks to complete our work,” Chargers chairman Dean Spanos said. “The fact that we were able to collect more than 110,000 signatures in that short period of time demonstrates tremendous support in our community for a new, combined stadium-convention center expansion downtown.”
The initiative calls for $650MM in funds from unspecified sources, which likely means money from the Chargers, fans, personal seat licenses and the NFL, per McSwain. But opponents of the initiative are formulating plans. Some are taking the stance of last year’s stadium task force that preferred to keep the Chargers at nearby Mission Valley as opposed to downtown.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer endorsed that site last year prior to the Chargers’ Carson bid being rejected. But he hasn’t come out in favor of either site recently and distanced himself from the activist group that’s attempting to prevent the Chargers-supported downtown stadium from coming to fruition.