Offset language relates to what happens to a player’s salary if he’s cut during the first four years of his career, while he’s still playing on his rookie contract. In most cases, a lack of offsets for a player simply depends on which team drafted him - clubs like the Rams and Jaguars traditionally haven’t pushed to include offsets in contracts for their top picks, even in an era where most other teams around the league do. In 2016, Joey Bosa’s holdout dominated headlines until the linebacker inked his deal on August 29th.

That hasn’t always been the case. In 2015, Marcus Mariota‘s camp haggled with the Titans until the two sides finally reached an accord with partial offset language, a compromise that was not consummated until late July. This year, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brownwere the first Round 1 picks to sign and they agreed to offset language. Over the last several years, only a handful of players in each year have managed to avoid having offsets language written into their deals. Fortunately for teams, offset language is not expected to be a roadblock.

These negotiations have been delayed, in large part, due to concerns over potential revenue loss in the coming year. Still, a number players have yet to ink their rookie deals, including several first-rounders. Negotiations between teams and draft picks have become smoother than ever, with few – if any – players expected to be unsigned by the time training camp gets underway.

Ever since the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement, rookie contracts have been fairly regimented.

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