Chargers' Mike McCoy says Joey Bosa missing valuable reps amid holdout

SAN DIEGO -- As Joey Bosa and the San Diego Chargers remain embroiled in a contract dispute that has led to the first-round pick not reporting to training camp, coach Mike McCoy indicated Saturday that the Ohio State product is missing valuable reps.

"He definitely needs to be out here as a rookie," McCoy said as the Chargers opened camp. "There's no update on his status. [General manager] Tom [Telesco] made his comments the other day, and it's the same today. We will just keep working at that, and eventually it will get done.

"But he needs to be here. I think everybody needs to be here, especially as a younger player for the installations, playing with your teammates -- things like that. We are going to coach the guys who are here, and the players who were here did a nice job today."

Bosa is the only first-round selection from this year's draft who did not report to camp, as he and the team remain locked in a dispute over offset language and the earlier payment of signing bonus money.

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers said Bosa's contract dispute represents the business side of football, and players understand that.

"My approach has always been these guys are our teammates," Rivers said. "And then it's not normal football. There is that business side to it. So it's not like anybody in there is upset with him.

"When he gets here, shoot, he'll trot out there and we'll play like he's been here the whole time."

Rivers has firsthand knowledge of Bosa's situation, having gone through his own contract dispute as a rookie with the Chargers in 2004. Rivers did not report for three weeks before signing his deal.

Of course, that was before the last collective bargaining agreement in 2011, which resulted in the slotting of rookie salaries.

"Obviously, you want him here," Rivers said. "But I also know what it's like from that spot. It's not any fun, that's for sure. You try not to watch the sports and news, seeing your team practicing and you not being out there. I know it's a hard situation to be in. And when it gets done, it gets done, and he'll be here and be a part of it. And from what I've seen this offseason, he'll be a big part of it."

Fellow rookie linebacker Joshua Perry said Bosa, also his teammate at Ohio State, will be ready to hit the ground running once the two sides agree to contract terms.

"I know Joey is eager to be out here," Perry said. "I've talked to him. So as soon as he's out here, I know he's going to come hard and ready to work."

Like most players, cornerback Jason Verrett is more concerned about the other 89 players who are at Chargers Park.

"It's a business," Verrett said. "That's out of my control. He's going to be here when he gets here. And right now we're just focused on the guys we got out there right now."

Center Matt Slauson saw an improving player in Bosa during offseason work, and expects the rookie defensive end to have an impact once he signs his deal and reports to training camp. But no one knows when that will be.

"We're just focused on getting better every day," Slauson said. "All of that other stuff isn't my area. [I went against him] a couple times [during offseason work]. He's got a lot of talent."