'I don’t like the situation': 49ers GM John Lynch opens up about Nick Bosa's holdout
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch opened up about the holdout of star pass rusher Nick Bosa that has now extended deep into the final week of training camp.
The good news is that Lynch sounds optimistic that a deal will get done soon.
"Concern is a relative word," Lynch said Thursday when during an appearance on KNBR Radio in San Francisco about Bosa's holdout . "I don’t like the situation. Since our tenure here we haven’t had a holdout anywhere towards this magnitude. Not something I’m comfortable with. We’re working really hard to try to change that.
"We're in good communication with his reps. He's a special player, he's going to get a special contract, I can tell you that. We're getting closer and we're eager to bring this thing to a close."
Lynch declined to go in specifics about the nature of the discussions, saying that he, Bosa and Bosa's representatives had agreed to keep the particulars private. Lynch did add that the 49ers "are working diligently" to conclude the matter.
Lynch, though, expressed confidence that Bosa "will be ready" to play whenever the holdout concludes.
Bosa is set to enter the fully guaranteed fifth-year option of his contract that will net him $17.859 million. Only 25 years old, Bosa could set a record with his new contract, which is expected to be north of $30 million in annual value. By comparison, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has the highest average annual value in a contract for a defender, at $31.667 million per year.
Bosa would also have the option of ending his holdout ahead of the regular season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sept. 10 in order to avoid forfeiting his salary. If his holdout extends into the regular season, however, Bosa would forgo nearly $1 million for each game, according to Pro Football Talk.
Bosa, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, is a three-time Pro Bowler, a one-time All-Pro and won the AP Defensive Player of the Year award last season after he led the league with 18.5 sacks.
He has posted 43 sacks in three seasons, despite missing nearly all of 2020 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 49ers GM John Lynch opens up about star rusher Nick Bosa's holdout
