Idk I feel like nothing is really on the table until there's ink on paper so to speak. Like if this company made a job offer via email but no contract was signed yet, then no contract has been signed yet.

If we consider verbal contracts absolute then that changes a LOT of things.

The price is figure isn't acceptance of an offer or a contract its negotiation regarding what terms would in fact be acceptable to both parties in preparation for forging an actual meeting of minds which would in turn enable a contract to be created.