Chargers’ holdout McNeill and GM meet, no deal
The San Diego Chargers finally made an offer to their holdout at left tackle Marcus McNeill. McNeill met with Chargers’ general manager A.J Smith but the two sides could not reach an agreement and McNeill will not report to the Bolts’ training camp.
McNeill and receiver Vincent Jackson have both not reported to the Chargers’ training camp. They wanted long-term contracts before reporting and refused to sign their restricted free agent tenders. They will continue to sit out and may miss the entire season.
The two-time Pro Bowl tackle requested a meeting with Smith to determine where the team stood on his contract situation. Smith had said last month he had nothing to discuss with McNeill saying no long-term contract would be given.
"As I've said before, I'm done talking about Marcus McNeill until he returns," Smith said when asked about the meeting. "If he does return, I would be more than happy to talk about him."
McNeill’s agent reported that if the tackle doesn’t sign his restricted free agent tender soon, then the Chargers can place him and Jackson on the roster exempt list. This would mean the players would have to sit out the first three games after they sign. Jackson has already been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the season after being arrested with a DUI.
The two players are believed to be willing to sit out the first 10 games of the season. They would return for the final six in order to be credited with an accrued season and hit the free agent market next year. If the two are placed on the roster exempt list, then they’d have to move up their returns in order to play at all this year and accrue a season to enter unrestricted free agency.
As a result of the two not signing their tenders before training camp, the team exercised their option to bring down the $3 million tenders down to $550,000. The Chargers have not budged an inch all summer and the team likely won’t see these players until November.
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