The CBA has nothing to do with what he is saying.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...with-open-arms



Gates: Bolts will welcome Bosa back 'with open arms'

In the eyes of public opinion, the Joey Bosa-Chargers contract standoff has developed into a cold war of accusatory statements.

After Bosa rejected the Chargers' best offer on Wednesday, the Chargers released an unprecedented statement outlining their latest concessions and plans to restructure Bosa's offer, assuming he won't play a full slate in 2016. Bosa's team responded with a release of its own, while president of football operations John Spanos highlighted the evening by calling his draft pick's antics "absolutely asinine."

But on the gridiron, Chargers players and coaches are toning down the animosity, instead offering an olive branch to the distant rookie.

"We all want him here. When he is here, he is one of us," coach Mike McCoy said, per the team's website. "It's the business side of it. We can't wait for him to be here and help us win football games this year. ... I promise you he's working his tail off wherever he is. He's a very talented player."

Antonio Gates told reporters Thursday that Bosa would be "welcomed with open arms" by Chargers players if and when he signs his rookie deal. The veteran tight end made it clear that regardless of contract disputes and the like that "Bolts support each other."

This isn't the first time that the longest-tenured Charger has spoken up on behalf of the team in regards to Bosa's situation. Two weeks ago, Gates told the San Diego Union-Tribune, "My advice to any player that's going through any kind of contract situation is that, at one point, you've got to be a man and you've got to understand that you've got to get ready to play."

Gates knows best. The tight end was involved in a contract dispute in 2005 that resulted in him receiving a team-ordered suspension.

All this team unity from the Chargers' sidelines is encouraging, but as McCoy insinuated, Bosa's contract dispute is nothing personal; it's strictly business. Cheerleading from the San Diego roster may help the rookie in the court of public opinion, but settling this standoff is in the hands of lawyers and agents, not the players.

Shit. If anything, offset language would've been MORE applicable prior to 2013 given the size of contacts handed out.

Being a Chargers fan has been a series of kicks in the nuts the last 3 years. It's just awful and I don't know why I deal with it.

There are a lot of teams out there whose fans would probably say the same thing.

But in this case, I think Chargers fans have a real argument about why their situation is far worse.

I felt how your feeling watching your team in 2006. Not saying this Chiefs team compares; just felt the Chargers had it all that year, and we were in the dumps. That season sucked for me (and many seasons after that). Keep your head up, sir.

Even if he is "well off" i doubt it's in the stratosphere of what he's offered by year well off. That's just silly.

given how short and brutal the average nfl career is, plus the fact that the parameters of rookie contracts are already negotiated by the union and owners...


...the pragmatist in me thinks it is crazy to risk millions over a rather 'technical' issue of payment timing, the question of who is right or wrong also being irrelevant to my consideration

This thread is golden. I'd say he's gotten off to a pretty good start and certainly doesn't appear to be a bust.