Titans dig in on offset provision in Mariota negotiations

The interim president and CEO of the Tennessee Titans is vowing a protracted stand against giving in to Marcus Mariota on language holding up their contract.

Steve Underwood told ESPN.com, “Whatever you do echoes into eternity with player contracts. We just can’t afford to take a step back, at least this early in the process. We’re still a couple of weeks from training camp.”

The Titans’ open camp in Nashville on July 30 and Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 30, is the only first-round pick remaining unsigned.

Overall, 253 of 256 picks have signed contracts.

Mariota stands to receive a guaranteed four-year contract in the area of $21 million when he signs. The financial details are pretty much laid out by the collective bargaining agreement and salary cap.

At issue, Underwood confirmed, is so-called “offset” language in the contract. With an offset provision, if Mariota were to be cut before the completion of his four years, whatever his new team paid him would be deducted from what the Titans owed. Without it, Mariota could double up.

Jameis Winston, the No. 1 pick, has offset language in his deal with Tampa Bay, while the No. 3 pick, Dante Fowler Jr. of Jacksonville, does not.

Mariota’s San Diego-based agents, Ryan and Bruce Tollner, have not responded to requests for comment.

Underwood said the offset provision is the hold up. “My understanding is, that is all that is left. I’m sure there are tiny odds and ends, but that is all that I’m aware of,” he told ESPN.com.

Underwood said, “We’ve always had offset language in our player contracts. It’s nothing new. I think it is important where a high first-round draft pick is concerned because it’s the precedent. Everything that we do is precedential for the next round of contracts. So keeping the offset in place is something we want to be able to do going forward. And the minute you back away from the contract principle, then you no longer are able to assert it going forward.”

Three of the Titans’ past four first-round picks have been late to camp due to contract negotiations.

Underwood said, “Getting a first-round draft pick, a quarterback, signed and in camp on time, it’s a big deal. It’s something we need to be focused on. But using that or any other excuse to subvert the negotiating process, that’s faulty logic.

“You still need to stick to your guns about what it is you’re trying to achieve in the contract negotiation. You may need to use some fallback position. But getting your first-round draft pick to camp on time is important. Sticking to your guns about what you need to get in a contract is also important.”