The San Francisco 49ers signed offensive guard Joshua Garnett to his rookie contract the night before training camp, and we have some details, courtesy of Jason Hurley. The rookie deals are fairly standard, but there is still a little bit of wiggle room with regard to guarantees and offsets. One or both of those two things are likely what resulted in the delay in getting him signed. Here is what Garnett’s deal looks like:
Signing Bonus: $4,966,772
2016 base: $450,000 (fully guaranteed)
2017 base: $872,923 (fully guaranteed)
2018 base: $1,295,846 (fully guaranteed)
2019 base: $968,769
2019 roster bonus: $450,000 on 3rd day of training camp
2019 workout bonus: $300,000
5th year option: As a first round pick, Garnett has a fifth year team option in his contract. The team will decide on that in the months following the 2018 season. The salary will be based on the number used to determine the 2019 transition tender for his position, but using the applicable third through 25th highest salaries at the position. Although he is specifically a guard, Garnett’s fifth year option salary would be based on all offensive linemen.
Garnett’s signing left Joey Bosa as the only player who had not signed his rookie contract heading into training camp. He has still not signed, and there have been reports he and the San Diego Chargers have not spoken in nearly two weeks. We’ve now reached a point where Bosa’s mom said she wishes they had “pulled an Eli Manning” and refused to play for the Chargers.
PFT reported that the Chargers either wanted offset language in the deal or a large portion of the signing bonus deferred to 2017. Bosa wants the bonus entirely up front, or no offset language. Today is the deadline for them to potentially trade Bosa, but that seems highly unlikely. They then have until Week 10 to sign him to his rookie deal. If he does not sign by then, he cannot play the rest of 2016. The team then has to sign him in the offseason, and if he does not sign by next year’s draft, he re-enters the draft pool.
This is the longest rookie holdout since the new CBA was implemented in 2011, and the general consensus seems to be that the Chargers are being cheap on this one. Good times!