The Los Angeles Chargers made the decision to part ways with Joey Bosa on Wednesday night, bringing an end to the linebacker’s nine-season run with the team.
The move, which was largely anticipated, comes in advance of the new league year. This development stems from considerations about Bosa’s substantial salary cap hit and his history with injuries. For the 2025 season, Bosa was slated to carry a cap charge of $36.47 million. However, this decision enables the Chargers to alleviate their financial obligations by liberating $25.36 million in cap space.
Selected as the third overall pick by the Chargers during the 2016 NFL draft, Bosa was the sole remaining player from the team’s era in San Diego. In 2020, he penned a five-year contract extension worth $135 million, briefly making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. During the most recent season, Bosa took the field in 14 games, starting in nine, after having agreed to a restructured deal. Nonetheless, his production saw a dip, with only five sacks, marking his lowest output in any season where he appeared in at least 12 games; this decline coincided with struggles related to hip and back ailments.
Bosa managed to participate in all 16 games throughout the 2021 season, but his appearances dropped to a mere 14 games collectively over the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined. The 2022 season was particularly challenging as he grappled with a groin injury that sidelined him for most of the year, though he did manage a late-season return. Unfortunately, he missed the final seven games in the 2023 season due to a foot injury.
Since entering the NFL, Bosa has accumulated 72 sacks, positioning him to rank 10th in the league and second in the franchise’s history during his stint with the Chargers.
With Bosa’s departure, the team is expected to increase their focus on re-signing linebacker Khalil Mack, who is available in the free agency market for the first time in his 11-year tenure. Additionally, Tuli Tuipulotu, who topped the Chargers with 8.5 sacks last season, is likely to step into a starting role following Bosa’s exit.
