Irl you don't always know what another team is offering. A player agent will just say the same as OOTP does - I've got a better offer on the table from team X.
Solution - Slow down your off season FA sims from 10 days. Especially at the beginning when the best players are available.
I know, it's a catch 22 - some leagues don't want to slow down and drag out the off season. But it's fair to all owners. Sometimes you just have to compromise.