Joey Bosa Released by Chargers: What’s Next for the Star DE?

The Los Angeles Chargers decided to release DE Joey Bosa — thus ending a lengthy tenure between the franchise and the player. Bosa has proven to be a productive player when healthy. The term ‘healthy’ is the operative word here.

Simply put, the Ohio State product hasn’t played enough to warrant the money LA was paying him. Bosa was in line to cash in on a $12 million roster bonus before being released. With the move, the Chargers have saved $25 million in cap space which should now be geared towards deepening a roster aiming for a playoff spot in 2025.

Bosa has missed 23 games over the last three seasons — notching 14.0 sacks during this time frame. Zooming out further, Bosa has not been available for 28 of a possible 51 contests from 2022-24. He was the 2016 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after posting 10.5 sacks. A 5-time Pro Bowler, Bosa has accrued double-digit sack totals in four different seasons. Having said that, the most recent year with such a mark was back in 2021.

It will be fascinating to see what sort of market Bosa will have. He’s still young enough to be a productive player for at least another couple of years. The dearth of effective pass rushers certainly will help his case as Bosa searches for a new deal. It would be interesting to see him pair up with brother Nick in San Francisco.

If the 49ers want to go younger and cheaper, Bosa could end up with another contender on a shorter ‘show me’ deal that could ultimately lead to an extension.