National Football League

With Chargers draft pick Bosa absent, others taking up slack

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:40 p.m. ET

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SAN DIEGO (AP) The Chargers broke camp but they haven't broken their stalemate with defensive end Joey Bosa.

The No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft remained unsigned as the team started preparing Monday for this week's preseason game at the Minnesota Vikings.

There was chatter last week of movement between the two parties. But Bosa, the only player from the draft not to agree to terms, remains out.

''We will have a plan for him whenever he is here ... when he is in the building,'' Chargers coach Mike McCoy said.

Bosa, a star at Ohio State, was selected to give the Chargers' tepid pass rush a boost. But negotiations stalled on when Bosa's $17 million bonus would be distributed and offset language in case he signed with another team.

With Bosa absent, Darius Philon, Tenny Palepoi and Damion Square are getting additional snaps.

''I look at it as a great opportunity for me,'' said Philon, who has started the first two preseason games. ''I can only do what the coaches ask me to do every day and focus on me getting better as a player and a person.''

Palepoi is coming off a knee injury which derailed his season last year.

''Regardless who is or isn't here, I'm fighting for a job,'' Palepoi said. ''I've got to take care of myself.''

If Bosa signs, he can be used in abbreviated packages while he learns the defensive playbook. McCoy said Philon, Palepoi and Square will be better thanks to their increased work.

''We're going to play everybody; if you have a uniform you are going to play,'' McCoy said. ''That is what good teams do up front, they are going to rotate guys and keep guys fresh. I just know that I'm extremely pleased with the way the guys have worked that are here.''

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