Joey Bosa GTD

Chargers preparing to be without first-round pick Joey Bosa

The San Diego Chargers are preparing as if third-overall pick Joey Bosa will not be available for Week 1, reports ESPN's Eric D. Williams.

What It Means:

With the third preseason game approaching and no indication that progress is being made between the two sides, it would be somewhat foolhardy for the Chargers to bank on Bosa's contributions in Week 1. San Diego is playing hardball, demanding the rookie to accept offset language in addition to a deferment of his signing bonus, which would be unprecedented in the NFL. Bosa has indicated he is willing to accept one of the provisions, but not both. The Chargers front-office is known for being ruthless negotiators, but it's a peculiar stance to take with the third overall pick.

Contrary to the Chargers, our models are preparing as if Bosa will play all 16 games this season, currently projecting him for 44.15 tackles and 4.84 sacks during his rookie campaign. According to numberFire's metrics, San Diego's defense ranked 25th in the league last season in regards to total points prevented below expectation.