ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills have addressed their need for a stronger pass rush by signing Joey Bosa to a one-year contract worth $12.6 million, according to a person aware of the negotiations. This person shared the information under anonymity because the deal isn’t official until the NFL’s new business year commences on Wednesday. The agreement was initially reported by ESPN.com.
Bosa joins the Bills in the wake of the team releasing Von Miller on Sunday, a move intended to create more salary-cap flexibility. Previously, Bosa was with the Chargers, having been drafted as the third overall pick in 2016 from Ohio State. He enjoyed a successful start, earning the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year award. However, after nine seasons with the team, he was released last week in a bid for the Chargers to manage their salary cap.
At 29 years old, Bosa is a younger alternative to the 35-year-old Miller. However, his performance has suffered due to injury issues. While his career total of 72 sacks ranks him in the top 10 since 2016, he has only tallied 14 sacks across the last three seasons.
Last season, Bosa played in 14 games, with nine starting appearances. Despite renegotiating his contract to stay with the Chargers, he struggled with hip and back issues that limited him to a mere five sacks, the lowest in any of his six seasons where he played at least 12 games. His playing time over 2022 and 2023 was also marred by groin and foot injuries, causing further challenges.
